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li 


MODERN 
FAIRY TALES 














OCT 27 1914 

* 

©CIA387229 

l' h ■ /• 




PREFACE 



?HE WRITER of this book, from his youth, 

T || had the gift, “if such it could be called,” 
rag of imagination and putting it into words 
in the way of relating stories to children. 
It proved such a success, that those who 
heard him, “of the older ones,” suggested 
to him to put a number of his stories into book form, and 
arrange them into chapters, so, if desired, a mother or father 
could read them to the young people, and get them so in- 
terested that they, of their own accord, would demand to 
hear more. After considerable persuasion, he was induced 
to write one story, “The Three Magic Seed.” It proved 
such a success with his neighbors that he, during the course 
of a number of years, at odd times, wrote the following 
pages, claiming the stories as strictly original, and the illus- 
trations likewise — sketched by an artist according to his 
description. To say that you will be pleased with the book 
is left with you. All he can say is that the stories are up- 
to-date, clean and wholesome, and not only will interest 
the young, but will profit them by the morals they teach. 


THE AUTHOR. 
























































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CONTENTS 


1. The Three Magic Seed. 

2. The Battle of the Fairies. 

3. The Story of Who is the Greatest in the 

Man-World. 

4. The Story of How it Pays to be Good. 

5. Bell and Nell. 

6. Jennie’s Dream. 

7. Polly’s Cat. 

8. Jack Spratt. 

9. A Trip to the North Pole. 

10. The Adventures of Edward Fox, or the 

Magic Fiddle and Wax. 

11. Rosalind. 


15 ] 



The Three Magic Seed 


CE, LONG ago, there lived a prosperous 
farmer by the name of Jones; he was an 
Englishman, and came to this country, or 
rather he came over to the States, settled 
in Virginia, and built him a home in 
the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. At 
that time the country was sparsely settled, the land 
was cheap, and rich in beautiful woods and meadows. 
With thrift and energy he made his farm a model one and 
raised not only fine horses, sheep, cows, hogs, and fancy 
poultry, but his crops could not be beaten in that part of 
the country. As people settled around him they could 
but wonder at his beautiful corn and his fields of wheat; 
and every one who wanted first-class seed, when the time 
came for planting, would send to Jones for it, as he had 
the best. 

Now, this Mr. Jones had three grown sons and one 
daughter. The oldest son, whose name was William, 
was very proud and overbearing and his brother Tom, 
who was two years younger, was likewise of the same 
disposition, and thought there was not any one as good 
as he was; but the youngest brother, Jacob, who had 
been from his birth what you might term a hunchback, 
but though so afflicted, he was entirely different; he was 
industrious, kind and obliging; helped his old father to till 
the land and look after all the stock. He and his father 
[7 ] 



8 


Modern Fairy Tales 


often sat up late at night and planned what they should 
do next to beautify the place. His brothers, meanwhile, 
were off amusing themselves at frolics and dances. They 
did not care to work on the farm and made all manner of 
fun of Jacob — called him hayseed, clodhopper, and what 
not. 

Jacob took it all in good part, he loved the work and 
reaped the benefit of what he planted; he loved flowers, 
and loved to see them grow; he was good and kind to every- 
thing he came in contact with. He had his pet pig, his 
favorite horse, his dogs, cats, geese and goats, that fol- 
lowed him around at every opportunity, but he doted 
mostly on his sister Annie, to whom he confided all his 
troubles, and she, loving him, too, would console him when 
his brothers ridiculed him. She would often put her arms 
around him and tell him she did not know what she should 
do without him. 

Now in the course of time old man Jones was taken very 
ill with a fever, and his wife, who, with Annie’s assistance, 
nursed him, was taken sick, too, and her malady proved 
fatal; in the course of a few weeks she died and was laid 
away to rest. The old man, from some cause, it might 
have been grief at the loss of his wife, old age, or a relapse, 
did not long survive her. He was buried by her side in the 
old family graveyard in sight of the house. 

After the funeral, when the will was opened and read 
by the family advisor, it was found that the old home- 
stead, with only five acres of land, was left to Jacob and 
Annie jointly; the balance of the farm, which consisted 
of about four hundred acres of the choicest land, was to 
be divided between William and Tom, and the cash on 


Modern Fairy Tales 


9 


hand, after paying all debts, was to be used in erecting 
fine houses for them. 

Many people thought it was a very unjust will, but 
Annie and Jacob did not grumble or fret over it; they were 
only too glad that they did not have to leave the old home 
to which they were so much attached; endeared by its 
sweet memories of the days gone by, the pleasant years 
they had spent there. 

About this time a great war broke out; every one was 
called out to enlist in the army; but Jacob’s two brothers, 
who did not care to risk their precious lives in battle, 
made arrangements so that their homes would not be 
damaged by the combatants and quietly left for other 
fields, until all danger was passed; Jacob being a cripple, 
was of course exempt, and stayed at home. The war 
brought on much suffering, and Jacob and Annie had to 
neglect their work, as they felt it their duty to administer 
to the sick and wounded; consequently they became very 
poor, and when war was over their rich brothers came back, 
lived in their fine houses and ignored poor Jacob and Annie. 
Finally Jacob was taken ill, which made their needs become 
greater, and the time came when hunger stared them in 
the face. 

One night when they were on their front porch, Jacob 
in an old rocker that his father used to sit in when they 
were children, Annie was standing by the door that opened 
into the porch, remarked to Jacob, “Do you know that I 
cannot think what we will do for bread tomorrow; we 
have’nt any flour or meal to make any, and we have’nt 
anything else to sell, except our home or the furniture, so 
I told Tom and Bill our circumstances; and all the answer 









Modern Fairy Tales 


11 


I received was that it served us right, we ought not to have 
been so liberal, and charitable in the past; that we ought 
to call on those we helped — “one good turn deserves 
another.” 

Now while she was speaking a heavy thunder cloud 
came up and a vivid flash of lightning illuminated the sur- 
roundings, followed by a severe clap of thunder, and Jacob 
felt himself suddenly thrown to the floor; happily, he 
was not hurt, but the chair he was sitting on was 
broken in several pieces, and one of the leg pieces was 
split apart. 

When they recovered from the shock Jacob said to 
Annie, “Isn’t it too bad father’s old rocker should get 
broken”? with that, he gathered up the pieces and carried 
them into the house saying, “I certainly shall try and put 
it together again.” 

When he came to examine it in the light he found a 
hollow place in the broken leg, inside of which was a little 
roll or package, and when he pulled it out there rolled out 
three curious kind of seed, all of a different shape and 
size, one like a peanut, or ground pea; another flat and re- 
sembled a chestnut, and the third was round like a hazel nut. 

On the paper that the seed was wrapped in was written, 

. . . . “To my youngest son, Jacob, if living, and to 

his heirs if dead. 

“It may be some time before these seed fall into your hands : 

“Be very particular with them. 

“Do not let them get crushed or bruised, and if you are in 
want of bread, meat and milk, do with them as follows: 

“First, notice the moon when it is full, wait until twelve 
o’clock or midnight; pick out a convenient spot of ground 


12 


Modern Fairy Tales 


in sight of the window of the room you sleep in, which, 
no doubt, is the one in which I slept; dig a deep hole in the 
ground and plant the oblong seed in it with the little end 
down, cover it up well, packing the earth good and tight, 
and wait results. 

“Tell no one from whom you got the seed. 

“The fruit that grows in the center of the tree and the 
seed that is in the center of that fruit is the only one that 
will bear if planted. . . . 

“On the last quarter of the moon plant the next seed in 
the same manner, so that it can be seen from the kitchen 
window. . . . 

“The following night plant the remaining seed likewise, 
so that it is in sight of the sitting-room window, and may 
God bless and prosper you with all the profit derived from 
them. . . From your loving father . . Peter Jones.” 

When they had finished reading, Annie said to Jacob, 
“Do you know it will be full moon to night? Let us plant 
the first seed as soon as the moon rises, for after such a 
nice rain it will take no time for it to sprout.” 

“Very well,” said Jacob, “but wasn’t it nice in father 
to arrange it so nicely and fix such a curious place to hide 
the seed; and is it not wonderful for God to have caused 
the lightning to break the chair so that we could find 
them”? 

When the clock struck twelve they both went out to the 
barn, got a spade and after providing themselves with a 
lantern, selected a spot of ground such as the directions 
called for, dug a hole and planted the seed carefully, then 
went back in the house and after offering up their nightly 
thanksgiving, betook themselves to rest. 


Modern Fairy Tales 


13 


Next morning, bright and early, it being Sunday, the 
sun just rising and the sky looked clear and fresh, but the 
ground was wet from which the fog was rising, as there 
had been a fine drizzle of rain the night before; every- 
thing looked fresh, but poor Annie was wondering what 
they would do for bread when Jacob, who had been out 
to look after the fowls and pigs, came running in the door 
exclaiming: “Annie, Annie, come here right quick, and look 
at this wonderful sight.” Where they had planted the seed 
and a tree had grown up at least six feet high with the 
most peculiar looking leaves and fruit, some of which 
resembled in shape a loaf of bread, while some looked like 
biscuits with stems attached. 

Jacob pulled one off, broke it in half and tasted it, he 
found it to be the whitest and the best bread he had ever 
eaten. 

The crust of the loaf was sweet and crisp, and they 
found both much better than anything they had ever 
before eaten, so they took some in the house, warmed it in 
the oven, and enjoyed a fine meal. 

Now, the tree bore so much more bread than they could 
possibly eat that they filled a basket with some of the 
choice loaves and took them to the village for sale, and it 
was no time before they sold out and returned home for more. 

The people went wild over the tree-bread, and Jacob 
had so many orders that he was compelled to buy a push- 
cart to take the bread around, and the demand became so 
great that he bought a fine horse and wagon to deliver 
the product. 

All the people paid him promptly and said his bread had 
no equal. 



[ 14 ] 






Modern Fairy Tales 


15 


When the moon had gotten to the last quarter, Jacob 
and Annie bethought themselves of the remaining two 
seeds, and when midnight came, they carefully selected a 
spot facing the kitchen window, dug a hole and planted 
the second seed, which you remember was flat. After 
planting the seed they offered up their thanks to God 
for his kindness and retired. 

With the money they had made and saved during the past 
two weeks, they began to buy material to fix up the fences 
and make improvements on the place, such as painting, 
whitewashing the outhouses and fixing things up generally. 

The next night they planted the remaining seed so that 
it could be seen from the sitting-room window. 

Both seed sprouted and grew rapidly into beautiful 
trees, which soon began to bloom; and when the blooms 
dropped off the second tree, wonderful leaves took their 
places; they became so thick that they got to be huge 
chunks and of all kinds of shapes; some as large as the 
human hand and some as large as hams. Jacob, when 
looking at them one day, saw juice dripping out of them 
that looked like blood. He smelled them and perceived 
that they had the odor of fresh meat; so he cut off one, 
took it into the kitchen and called Annie; when she came 
he sliced up some of it to fry and found it to be equal to 
the finest beefsteak. 

This was something new to them, the idea of bread and 
meat growing on trees; if the people find out what we have 
they will take us by storm; we shall have to use caution 
in speaking about it. 

Jacob did not know what to do with so much meat; it 
was more than enough to furnish them for ten years even 


16 


Modern Fairy Tales 


if they ate meat three times a day. As a venture they 
gathered about fifty pounds and Jacob took it to town and 
gave it to those who were in need. This proved a great ad- 
vertisement and before they knew it they were assailed with 
a host of orders, for nothing is circulated more rapidly 
than news of an act of charity; consequently Jacob had to 
buy another horse and wagon and hire a man to help to 
deliver the meat, the demand was so urgent. 

It was the talk everywhere that Jacob Jones was proving 
himself as good a butcher as baker; for the fame of his 
bread and meat spread far and near. 

To cap the climax, one day when they were on the eve 
of buying a cow, Annie went out to look at the third tree 
and noticed that, instead of leaves and buds, were little 
buttons on the end of hundreds of little branches or twigs, 
she carelessly pulled one off, and a tiny stream of white 
liquid spurted out of the stem; she called Jacob to bring her 
a glass, which she soon filled with the liquid. Jacob then 
returned for a pail, which he hung on a limb, and in a 
few minutes it was nearly full. When the flow stopped, 
it had supplied them with nearly a gallon; so they came 
to the conclusion that this must be the milk promised 
them. 

They did not hesitate to drink some of it, and found it 
so much like cow’s milk, that they gave up the idea of buying 
a cow. 

Now Annie and Jacob, with their never-ending supply of 
bread, meat and milk, began to make a lot of money; con- 
sequently became very wealthy; but they did not get vain 
about it, quite the contrary, they made it their duty to 
help all the needy they came in contact with. 


Modern Fairy Tales 


17 


They employed several poor men to work for them and 
paid them good wages, who helped them to fix up the place. 

They purchased a lot in the city, had a beautiful store 
house built on it with all modern improvements, kept it 
stocked with bread and meat, and engaged one of their 
poor friends to take charge of it as their agent. 

They built up an immense business in the necessities 
mentioned, for necessities they surely were, as no one can 
live without either bread or meat. 

People came from everywhere to get samples of it. 

One thing puzzled most of their neighbors: they saw the 
greatest supply hauled there in wagons from Jacob’s farm, 
but could not understand how so much bread could come 
from there without flour or wheat ot make it, and so much 
meat without animals. 

This aroused curiosity almost to madness, particularly 
in Jacob’s brothers. 

Jacob was getting rich so fast that his farm was the talk 
of the town, which made him very popular. 

It was Mr. Jones here and Mr. Jones there; the papers 
were full of the charitable things Mr. Jones did; so his 
kinsmen condescended, as their brother and sister were 
getting so well known, to embrace the first opportunity to 
call on' them. 

One evening both arrived at Jacob’s farm and took him 
and Annie by surprise. 

Jacob invited them into the house and both he and 
Annie gave them a welcome, such as only a perfect lady 
and gentleman can give. 

Now the brothers had an object in calling: it was not 
merely brotherly love; there was a great deal of curiosity 



[ IS] 







Modern Fairy Tales 


19 


and a little greed mixed in; they wanted to find out where 
Jacob got his flour and how many cows he had; but when 
they found out that no cows were to be seen and no wheat 
growing nor a mill to grind the same, they were nonplussed. 

While they were there Annie waited on them with milk 
and cake, and they asked her where she kept the cows 
that gave such rich milk? Annie told them that all the 
milk came from a cow that nature fed, likewise the meat. 

They did not understand, so after a short stay, they 
arose to go, extending an invitation to our host and hostess 
to call on them and their wives. As they went out they 
looked all around but could not see anything that would 
solve the mystery for them, and not being satisfied with 
their visit they determined to hide in the vicinity, which 
they did, by concealing themselves in the bushes or shrub- 
bery near the house. 

When near evening, almost dark, they observed their 
brother and sister and two of their hired men go to the 
back of the house with ladders and saw them go up a tree 
and get something off it. They then saw them go to another 
tree, and likewise pluck something off it, but they could 
not tell what it was they were getting. 

After a while they saw the men carry basketsfull to the 
house and come back with pails and tubs and go to another 
tree; then carry the things also full of something to the 
house. 

They waited patiently until every one had retired for the 
night, then crawled out of their hiding place, and with a 
pocket lamp examined the trees. 

Didn’t their eyes open when they saw the bread fruit 
and the meat hanging on trees; they pulled off from each 


20 


Modern Fairy Tales 


tree some of the fruit, also one or two buttons off the milk 
tree to carry home with them to plant, knowing they 
could not move or steal the trees, as they would have to be 
taken up. 

Their idea was to plant some trees and grow them for 
themselves, which they did, and with what success you will 
learn later. 

Now Jacob and Annie knowing the secret of the seed, 
planted others, which grew and flourished and bore more 
fruit; but the seed her brothers stole and planted came up 
and grew to trees, but no fruit ever came on them; so they 
kept on stealing seed and planting them without any success. 
. . . They never got the center seed. Our two friends 

increased in riches and popularity. Annie made lots of 
friends of the poor with her charity. 

Jacob built a fine mansion out of the old home, improved 
the ground into a lovely park, with beautiful fountains 
and beds of flowers, in which all of his friends might come 
and enjoy themselves. 

His brothers became awfully envious, but it did not 
affect Jacob and his sister; but what surprised their bro- 
thers most was, you should have seen them when they 
saw it in the papers! that their brother Jacob had been 
nominated for a member of Congress, and finally elected by 
an overwhelming majority. 

How their sister Annie was engaged to be married to 
the governor’s son, and that there was going to be a grand 
fete at Jacob’s big home, to which hundreds of people were 
invited. 

Such a display of fireworks never was seen in the whole 
world as was made that night. 


Modern Fairy Tales 


21 


The heavens were illuminated for miles around and 
such feasting and fine music were never before heard of. 

Every person, poor and rich, old and young, from the 
surrounding villages, came to see the bride and hear the 
music. 

Oh! it was grand, would’nt you have liked to have been 
there? 

Well, Jacob got married, too, after awhile, for you know 
a congressman doesn’t stay long unmarried, particularly 
when he was as nice as our Jacob was. 

He and Annie had lots of sons and daughters, and it 
was Uncle Jake, do come here”? and Aunt Annie, you are 
the sweetest old darling that ever was; but the time came 
when Uncle Jake and Aunt Annie got old and died. 

First one and then the other, for you know they lived 
long, long, ago. 

Both were interred side by side in the old graveyard, 
where their father and mother were buried. 

Their children never suffered for bread, meat and milk, 
though the trees, too, all died. 

Now lots of people live where Jacob and Annie lived. 
The railroad passes there and the people do not even 
remember that so good an old man and woman as Jacob 
and his sister once lived there. 


The Battle of the Fairies 


?HEN we look up at the sky on a starry 

W e4 night we see lots and lots of stars; you 
w» see them twinkle like so many little lights, 
I™ and if I were to show you that among 
them there are two stars seemingly so 
close to each other that they looked to be 
no further apart then the length of your arm, when in reality 
they were miles and miles apart and that each star was a 
world nearly as large as ours, you would be surprised; but 
that is really a fact. 

Now I am telling this to make a story of it: that there 
were once two worlds, and these two worlds also were 
inhabited by fairies. 

One of the worlds was named “Heaven-world” and the 
other, “Satan-world.” 

In Heaven-world there dwelt a lot, oh! thousands of 
fairies, and these fairies had a king who ruled over them 
in such a way as to protect them so that they did not fear 
the inhabitants of the other world. 

This army of fairies had their generals, lieutenants, 
majors and captains to keep them in order and decipline, 
and lead them in battle against the wicked fairies from 
Satan-world, who sometimes would attack them unawares. 

Some of the officers of Heaven-world were named thus — 
for instance: the king over all was “King Love”; then 
the generals — Piety, Charity and Faith; captains: Con- 
[ 22 ] 


Modern Fairy Tales 


23 


stance, Hope, Mercy, Truth, Justice, and lots of others too 
numerous to mention. 

They were real good fairies, such as I would like you 
to be. 

But in the other world, Satan-world, dwelt a lot of 
wicked fairies, ruled by their king, whose name was “Sin”! 

Oh! he was a terror! At every opportunity he would 
deputize some of his generals and captains to lead their 
fairies to see if they could not destroy some of King Love’s 
subjects. 

Several of the captains were very sly’ particularly, two, 
named Pride and Fashion. 

They would make believe that they belonged to the 
Heaven-world and garbed with fine raiment and adorned 
with costly jewels; they would sometimes deceive the good 
fairies. 

Once Pride and Fashion drew several of the good fairies, 
Duty and Honesty, away from their friends across the 
border line and surrounded them, when a host of the 
wicked ones, led by Vanity and Conceit, and before they 
the good fairies realized it, had them prisoners in the land 
of King Sin. 

Once Envy and Malice, two captains from Satan- 
world, mingled with the good fairies, and I am sorry to 
say, destroyed ever so many. 

King Love could not stand that, so he issued a proclama- 
tion that all the inhabitants of Heaven-world should 
assemble in a body for a grand rally to take steps towards 
breaking up the Satan-world. 

Such a gathering there was; hundred and thousands, 
as far as could be seen, were fairies; here and there were 


24 


Modern Fairy Tales 


also a few from Satan-world in disguise who managed to 
mix with the multitude. 

They were there for no other purpose than to get what 
news they could to take their King Sin of what was going 
on; for it hardly ever happened that where there was a 
large gathering of that kind in Heaven-world some of 
King Sin’s spies were sure to be present, particularly one 
named Notariety. 

He was the first to come forward to volunteer, saying 
he could give them all information as to the best way to 
accomplish what they intended to do. 

King Love, however, did not like his looks, and said he’d 
rather wait and see what his chief councellor Wisdom 
would suggest; that he was informed by the fairies gener- 
ally that General Wisdom was best fitted to make or offer 
plans. 

The designated General rose and thanked King Love 
and the fairies for the honor conferred on him, and added 
that he must call their attention to his brother officer, 
General Obedience, who had considerable power and 
could be relied on; that if they would recognize him no 
doubt their master King Love would through him gain 
the victory. 

In the first place, he said there were a lot of fairies 
among them whose record was not up to the standard; 
for instance, there were those named Dilatory, Careless, 
Bashful, Timid, Forgetfulness, Thoughtless, and a number 
of others, whose names he could not just now remember. 

He suggested that they should not be allowed in the 
foremost ranks with such fairies as Courage, Push, Fearless, 
and others. 


Modern Fairy Tales 


25 


“Very good,” said King Love, “I appoint you first 
commander of all my forces and you can select for you 
lieutenant Courage. I also appoint General Obedience 
to assist you, and I further instruct you to put my army 
in perfect order, equip it with all necessary arms and be 
sure to furnish the latest style of unselfish guns and plenty 
of good deed powder and truth balls. I feel convinced they 
will shoot further and more rapidly than any of King Sin’s 
guns, and when properly handled will be sure to kill every 
time. 

The swords you furnish must be of the best that are 
made in the city of honor; they must be keen, sharp and 
well tempered by Patience so that they will retain their 
strength until the last. 

General Wisdom made quite a lengthy speech, in which 
he told them of the danger surrounding them, that this 
and the annoyance to which they were had been going on 
now for sometime, and it was high time to use force to 
break it up; if King Sin were allowed continually to pester 
them no one would be safe. 

Your good and worthy King Love is very much grieved 
to hear that now and then some of his subjects are being 
captured by the enemy. This will have to stop. 

He concluded by saying that every good subject that 
loved his king would buckle on his armor and get into the 
ranks to do battle for his country and continue to fight 
until every foe was vanquished, and peace should be 
established forevermore. 

With shouts and demonstrations of approval the vast 
army of fairies dispersed to prepare for the coming strug- 
gle. 


26 


Modern Fairy Tales 


In the Satan-world great preparations were going on; 
King Sin sent for General Pleasure, the commander-in- 
chief of his forces, who came with his most prominent 
officers, namely, Deceit, Folly, Untruth, Immodesty, Passion, 
and Envy. 

He told them what Heaven-world contemplated doing, 
and instructed them to put out snares and baits in the 
shape of gold, silver and fine clothes, and to send out the 
fairest and most perfect formed fairies in his dominion to 
act as scouts, to observe the good fairies, and if they met 
with ignorant ones, to be sure to tempt them with their 
finery and let Flattery talk to them, and if they should 
find any that had the least bit of vanity to fill them full 
of false promises, not to be sparing of untruth, for many 
could be conquered in that way. 

“My children, you cannot form an idea of what a tre- 
mendous battle was going to be fought. 

The Heaven-world had been for hundreds of years con- 
templating just such a war to overthrow the Satan-world; 
had tried every means known, using kindness, charity, 
benevolence; had sent their very best subjects among them 
to convert them; had offered them every inducement to 
come and live with them and be pure and holy. 

They visited the sick among them, and helped those that 
were in distress. 

Now and then they were successful in their efforts to 
rescue some that were in despair, who had given up every- 
thing as lost, but many lost their lives in trying to do this 
good work, for the wicked ones would revile and persecute 
them; for every one saved there would be other wicked 
ones to take their places. 


Modern Fairy Tales 


27 


King Love, through his agents, tried to spread his Chris- 
tianity far and wide, but wherever he tried to get a foothold, 
wicked King Sin had his spies supplied with fine wines and 
liquors, which, if once indulged in, would make them forget 
every good deed ever rendered them. 

The obstacle which caused our good fairies any amount 
of trouble was what we sometimes call the devil's brew, 
but generally alcohol. 

King Sin depended more on the strength of this liquor 
than on anything else he possessed; for he could use it in 
so many ways as a means of destroying those he wanted 
under his dominion. 

He would dispense it in the shape of medicine for the 
sick, stimulants for the weak, and many in trouble would 
imbibe it to forget their ills and thus seal their doom. 

Another great evil that King Sin grew in the way of the 
good fairies was this: certain weeds that grow in his domain 
he would gather, carefully dry, cure and mix into them 
fine flavors and sweetening and press them into blocks to 
be chewed; some were reduced to powder form to be snuffed 
up the nose, some granulated to be used in a pipe to smoke. 

These dainties many good fairies could not decline, but 
foolishly followed the example set before them, until it 
became a habit, and a very filthy one, which, with all King 
Love's power, he was unable to destroy. 

Oh! King Sin was very shrewd, he would find out what 
the good fairies loved to eat, and if there was no other way 
he would tempt them to eat too much and make gluttons 
of themselves. 

Another scheme of King Sin was to send some of his 
subjects into Heaven-world, whom first he had highly 


28 


Modern Fairy Tales 


educated so that they could rule the ignorant ones, by 
fine promises they managed to get positions into King 
Love’s domain; such that if any laws were made, no matter 
whether they were just or unjust, they could compel the 
fairies to abide by them. 

One of the evil ones who managed to get such a position 
was named Money, and, strange to say, he was heartily 
welcomed and honored, for he had lots of friends and more 
influence almost than King Love himself. 

He would, to please his lieutenant Vanity, install all kind 
of things, that, do what he might, General Wisdom could 
not convince him were dangerous to the kingdom. 

Money and King Sin’s spy Notoriety, wanted to have 
everything to appear nicer than those of others. 

Their idea was that every one in Heaven-world should 
put on all the style he or she could in dress, worship, and so 
forth, no matter whether Wisdom sanctioned it or not; 
consequently many subjects were slow to respond to the 
call of war, claiming there was plenty of time, for as long 
as they ruled they could hold King Sin’s wicked fairies in 
check; but we find in that they were mistaken. 

King Sin also sent out an army led by his officers Deceit, 
Folly, Envy and others, reinforced by Passion, Untruth 
and Immodesty. 

He erected costly buildings for churches to worship in 
on Sunday, theatres and other pleasure resorts, the latter, 
which were stocked with his favorite elixer, alcohol, disguised 
in such forms as tickle the palate. 

A good many who were filled with Christianity, and 
who tried to break up such places, were always ruled out 


Modern Fairy Tales 


29 


by the influence of Chief Money and his confederates, who 
would force them into submission. 

“But, what is this? what is going to happen”? those in 
the Heaven-world who were ignorant, would ask. 

Listen! to the bugle calls and the beating of the 
drums. 

“Yes! here comes the crowd* they are coming from every- 
where; look! some have come a long way.” 

“Come! we must join in to help make up the army of the 
Lord”; you cannot stay behind, you will have to go or be 
a traitor to your country; so the good fairies marshalled 
up all those that were slow to fall in line. 

SECOND PART 

Away off in the distance the forces of King Love could 
be seen with their banner Humility floating in the breeze. 

The thunder of choirs of thousands of voices could be 
heard, and as the voices of the commanders of the good 
fairies filled the air, onward they rushed. 

The other side used all their best weapons and poured 
into the ranks of the good fairies a galling fire of luxury 
and dissipation and ease; some took effect; many there 
were who could not withstand the shock and succumbed 
to the charge. 

But “Duty,” “Courage” and “Obedience,” who led the 
good fairies, cried, “Onward, Christian soldiers”! 

They destroyed everything that came in their way with 
their guns of truth and reliability. 

Many were in turn demolished by speculation and 
chance. 



[Du Bose I 





Modern Fairy Tales 


31 


“Forward”! shouted King Sin, “down with the saints! 
break up their good works! fill them with mockery and 
strong drink! let them see our forces.” 

Then could be seen the armies of King Sin exhibiting 
his power by public amusements, games of chance, riches, 
everything, to down Duty and Piety, but nothing they could 
do did in the least detract from the power of King Love’s 
army. With one wild rush Justice, in the lead, crying: 
“Hosanna! Hosanna to the Lord”! they overcame every 
obstacle, invaded every stronghold, killed every wicked 
fairy they came into contact with ; even Money and Vanity 
fell by the sword of Truth and Honor. 

The Satan-world was overthrown, extirpated from the 
universe, and Sin and his bad fairies were driven down! 
down! down! to destruction; like the stars you see now 
and then drop from the sky and disappear forever; but 
the star of the Heaven-world still shines and the good 
fairies are still living there, waiting for the time to come 
when they may welcome all those who wish to live with 
them and enjoy the pleasures of an everlasting life, where 
wicked fairies are not known. 


The Story of Who is of the Greatest Use 
in or to the Man- World 


R. NECKTIE one day met Mr. Shoestring, 
and after passing the time of day, they 
commenced an argument about who was 
most useful on the surface of the Man- 
World. 

Mr. Necktie contended that he was, 
for Man would not be dressed completely without him. 

Mr. Shoestring differed from him, and to end all con- 
troversy they decided to call a meeting of all their friends 
and hear what they had to say in regard to the matter. 

Mr. Necktie made it his business to summon Mr. Hat, 
Mr. Vest, Mr. Coat, Mr. Pants, Mr. Overcoat. Mr. 
Shoestring called on Mr. Socks, Mrs. Suspender, Mr. 
Laceshoe, Mr. Shirt, Mr. Button and Mr. Collar, and 
asked them to see their neighbors, Mr. Cane, Mr. Um- 
brella, Mr. Matchbox and Mr. Ring, and tell them all to 
attend the meeting, also, get word to Mr. Watch and Mr. 
Fob to come and act as judges. 

Several other persons were also notified, namely, Mr. 
Pipe, Mr. Snuffbox, Mr. Purse, Madam Memoranda-book, 
Miss Leadpencil, Mr. Pocketknife, little Miss Toothpick, 
old man Tobacco-pouch and Mr. Eyeglass, the dude at 
the corner who came accompanied by Miss Cardcase and 
Miss Handkerchief. 



[ 32 ) 


Modern Fairy Tales 


33 


Mr. Scarfpin came alone. 

Mr. Hosesupporter and his brother, Mr. Sock, came in 
last. 

When all were assembled in the meeting-hall Mr. Watch 
announced the meeting in order. 

Mr. Fob called on Miss Leadpencil to act as secretary 
and take down the proceedings, which she proceeded 
to do. 

When the roll was called there were just thirty-three 
persons present; quite a number to give their opinion on 
the topic to be discussed. 

Mr. Pipe made a motion, and was seconded by Mr. 
Snuffbox, to let old man Tobacco-pouch act as one of the 
judges, but Mr. Watch ruled it out of order, saying, “too 
much time would be taken up in smoke, and the expense 
would be too heavy on Mr. Purse.” 

Madam Memoranda-book suggested that it be decided by 
a vote who was the most important person in the Man- 
world. 

Mr. Suspender told her to keep quiet and let some of 
the others speak first. So Mr. Hat rose and asked to be 
heard, and Mr. Watch told him to proceed, but not to make 
his argument too lengthy, as every one present would be 
given an opportunity to speak, but they had only one hour 
to transact this business in, therefore the speakers would 
have to be limited in their remarks. 

Mr. Hat commenced by asking what a man would do 
in the warm summer time on the street or out in the field 
without him? 

That in the shade he could be used as a fan to cool the 
heated face and keep flies off. 



[34] 








35 


Modern Fairy Tales 


Many times he had been used as a drinking-cup to dip 
out the cool water from the spring to quench thirst and 
cool fever. 

In the cold winter time Man has been known to draw 
him deep down over his head, with the brim lowered, to 
keep the sleet and ice out of his eyes. 

What would the police and firemen do without good 
hats to defend them from the elements; that he was also 
used to play an important part in designating to what 
stage of life a man belonged. 

The high hat for the preacher and professor, the banker, 
politician and actor. 

The working-man wore on occasions his Fedora and 
Derby, the ranchman, with his sombrero, and to all he 
was of great and various uses for comfort, ornament and 
distinction! 

Mr. Coat next spoke of his usefulness, calling frequently 
on Mr. Vest and Mr. Overcoat to bear him out that what 
he spoke was true. 

He claimed that he was more important than Mr. Hat, 
in that a man with a hat on and without a coat and vest ? 
presented a sorry spectacle; that he might as well have 
his shoes off, too, for a man could well dispense with a hat 
and wear a cap instead, but he could hardly ever do without 
a coat, except in the hot summer time, gathering fruit in 
the country or working in the shops in the city. 

In late years a certain class of persons, such as mail-car- 
riers, car motermen, etc., can dispense with a coat, but has to 
call on Mr. Shirt’s first cousin, Miss Blouse, to take his place. 

He went on to say that frequently he was assisted to show 
his distinction by the Button family when he went out on 


36 


Modern Fairy Tales 


parade, either as military, police, or mail officials, down 
even to Deliverymen and Lackeys, every man had to have 
a coat, he would not be fully dressed without one. 

What would a preacher look like preaching a sermon in 
his shirt without a coat? 

Both in winter time and in summer, quite frequently, 
he is protected from the dirt by overcoats and dusters. 

He also ventured to say that he was really valued higher 
than any of all the rest present; you certainly had to pay 
as much for him alone as Vest and Pants combined. 

You might pull your hat over your eyes in winter time 
to keep the snow out of your face, but without a good coat 
you would certainly freeze; a shirt, pants and hat would 
not suffice. 

When Mr. Coat finished speaking, Mr. Overcoat rose 
and asked permission to speak a few words. 

He gave his acquiescence to Mr. Coat’s remarks; said 
that he was right, for he had been frequently in his com- 
pany in cold weather; he recalled an occasion on a cold 
windy day on board of a ship on which Mr. Hat suddenly 
took a notion to leave a man, that if it had not been for 
his protecting the man with his cape and high collar he 
might have suffered from the severe gale that blew at the 
time. 

At other times he had been so useful to man that he 
would not think, would not dare, to venture out in cold 
weather without him. 

Then another thing, man had been known to hold on to 
one of his kind for years, before discarding him. 

Frequently became so attached to him that he would not 
do without him. 


Modern Fairy Tales 


37 


Often he had been thrown around a shivering wretch, 
frequently being the means of saving life with his warmth, 
and to conclude, he thought he stood still higher in price, 
when real value was considered, and very few substitutes 
for him could be found. 

He hoped that judgment would be rendered in his 
favor. 

Mr. Shirt next took the floor and commenced his speech 
in this manner: 

“Gentlemen: I stick closer to Man than any of you.” 

“Hold on”! said Mr. Socks. “I’am here yet; while you 
are at one end of the world, I am at the other.” 

“And so am I,” said Mr. Hat. 

“And I have something to say, too,” cried Mr. Button 
and Mr. Necktie. 

“Order”! shouted the chairman. 

“One at a time; let Mr. Shirt proceed.” 

“I mean what I say,” continued Mr. Shirt. “I have 
stuck to Man when he had no socks to his feet, or coat on 
his back, or hat on his head. 

“I serve him in all kinds of shapes, open in front, open in 
back, sometimes long, sometimes short; very dressy, in 
finest linen, silk or cambric; often in cotton and wool. 

“Of course, the Button family accompany me time and 
again, but often without giving any notice whatever, first 
one then another tear themself away from my company, 
but I almost always stick to Man. 

“Occasionally I get torn and ripped in doing my duty. 
You have no idea how Man treats me sometimes. I get 
smeared with grease, colored with paint, daubed with 
mud, but I don’t complain, so long as I am useful to Man. 


38 


Modern Fairy Tales 


“Sometimes I am tore into strips for bandages to wrap 
around parts of Man. 

“I'll relate one of many incidents in which I protected 
Man, when all of you kept quiet: It was at a big fire; 
Man was asleep with me alone. The room was filled with 
smoke, Man had no time to dally and looked for you all 
to gain your protection, which no doubt you would have 
given if you could. 

“He had to keep me around him, and jump for his life. I 
tell you I went through smoke and fire, but his life was 
saved. 

“I embrace him all the time, during all the year, and 
when Man dies, I shall no doubt be buried with him. 

“Often I get soiled and dirty, but Man thinks so much of 
me that I have to go through a cleansing process as often, 
nearly, as Miss Handkerchief. 

“Time and again when the Buttons were with me, Miss 
Handerchief and Mr. Collar embraced me around the 
neck. 

“Mr. Coat and Mr. Vest, you who are with me very often, 
I ask you now, don't you think that I am of most import- 
ance to the Man-world? 

“I leave it to the judges and the rest of you." With that 
Mr. Shirt took his seat. 

Mr. Collar then took the stand and said, he was on the 
side of Mr. Shirt, and Mr. Necktie voiced approbation of 
his sentiments, as did also Mr. Button. 

Mr. Shirt felt very proud and stiff. 

His face looked glossy with satisfaction until Mr. Pants 
arose to speak. 


Modern Fairy Tales 


39 


He did not side with Mr. Shirt. He believed in holding 
Mr. Shirt in, as it would never do for Mr. Shirt to air 
himself too much when on Man and expose himself en- 
tirely, particularly in the United States; it made no differ- 
ance in China. 

Where was Mr. Shirt in the Prize-ring? and where was 
Mr. Shirt in the Iron-works around the Furnaces? and 
what use had Man for Mr. Shirt in diving? these were the 
times when Mr. Pants stuck to his post. 

Mr. Pants also acknowledged being in the company of 
the Button family, and now and then Mr. Suspender went 
with him. 

He claimed, too, that he was used in different shapes, for 
at one time he protected Man just above the knees, but 
at present he was used really longer than necessary, for 
part of him quite frequently was turned up below. 

He also thought that Man at one time discarded him 
entirely, but only when he wanted to take a bath. 

By some of the Clergy he was hidden completely by 
the fat Mrs. Gown. 

When he finished, after informing all present that he 
by no means aspired to the honor of being the principal 
figure on Man, but they should not forget that man car- 
ried about with him almost always that which was of most 
importance. 

Mr. Socks declined to take the floor, but Mr. Hose- 
supporter made a short speech in Mr. Socks’ favor, saying 
that himself, Mr. Socks and Mr. Laceshoe formed the 
foundation of the Man-world, but he knew that they alone 
could not fill the requirements of the world, for in the 
warm summer time Man has been known to discard us 


40 


Modern Fairy Tales 


all three, as well as Hat, Coat, Vest, Overcoat, and a good 
many more of us present. 

The meeting now began to lag. Mr. Watch and Mr. 
Fob had to call out several times, “Next,” but no one re- 
sponded. 

Mr. Umbrella nudged Mr. Cane, and the latter winked 
at Miss Handkerchief and Miss Cardcase; they in turn 
motioned to Mr. Pipe and Mr. Snuffbox. 

Finally all arose, saying they were satisfied to hear the 
decision of the judges, when old man Tobacco-Pouch 
held up his hands and called everyone’s attention to the 
fact that one of their company was missing. 

“Who is it? Where is he”? everyone exclaimed, “Call 
him! Call him.” 

When lo and behold! little Mr. Purse, small, but fat as 
he could be, pushed his way forward; it looked as if he 
came from out of big Mr. Pants. 

He did not even glance at Mr. Eyeglass, who was near 
him, for he was too insignificant in his eyes. 

He managed to get to the front so that he could be well 
heard, and said : 

“Gentlemen: I may not be a speaker; I know I am 
not gifted with good looks, for I believe I look weather- 
beaten by being handled so much, for you all know what 
trust Man puts in me and what I am filled with. 

“If you do not, just ask Miss Memonranda-book; she will 
tell you what important part I play to keep the Man-world 
from going to destruction. 

“If it was’nt for me not one of you would be here to take 
care of Man; leaves would have to take your place, as in 
the beginning of the world! Listen! If Man desires any 


Modern Fairy Tales 


41 


of you he consults me first, and if I say ‘Yes/ you have 
got to come; if I say ‘No/ you stay away. 

“I go anywhere about Man, first in one place then in 
another. 

“When I refuse to benefit Man he doesn’t know what to do. 

“He then sometimes orders your worthy chairman, Mr. 
Watch, to hide himself until I get ready to call him out 
of pawn; as for Mr. Cane, Mr. Umbrella, and some more of 
you, he has been known to dispose of you to satisfy a 
craving desire for drink; without me he cannot do a thing. 

“The Man-world would be in a terrible fix if it was’t 
for what I dispense. 

“His loving me so much has proved his ruin more than 
once. If I am handled right what blessings I bestow. 

“Can any of you say more”? 

“Time’s up,” called Mr. Watch; “Miss Leadpencil make 
a note of it for Miss Memoranda-book.” 

“We call for a decision,” all exclaimed. 

“Well, everything as far back as I can remember,” said 
Mr. Watch, “and I have no doubt you believe me, has gone 
to prove that our brother, Mr. Purse, speaks the truth. 

“Thousands of years back, before I was known, and a 
good many of you, as the records show, he has played an 
important part with Man. 

“Soloman, the Good Book tells us, had wisdom given him 
from above, and he was never without him. 

“Even the Deciples carried him with them. 

“Only one, my dear friends, never needed him. 

“Now bear in mind, when you leave this world to take 
up your abode in the place prepared for you. . . Mr. 

Purse will be left behind.” 


The Story of How it Pays to be Good 



?ILL AND TOM POTTS were two naughty 
boys; not merely naughty, but cruel and 
mischievious, and what made the matter 
worse, was that they were always together, 
plotting mischief that neither could ac- 
complish alone. They would attack smaller 
boys and tease them, frequently rob them of their play- 
things; always impose upon them. 

They had no compassion for the feelings of others, as 
the cruel tricks they played on them proved. They were 
cowards, too; the tricks were played in so sly and sneaking 
a manner that they were hardly ever caught in the act. 

One day, while an old woman who kept an apple stand 
at the corner of the street in which they resided, left her 
place of business for a few moments to go into a store 
nearby to get some money changed, they seized the oppor- 
tunity to squirt some coal oil into the pail of lemonade 
she had for sale and loosened the prop of her stand in such 
a way that when the next person came to get a glass of the 
invigorating drink, and detected the oily taste, remon- 
strated with the old woman, and while doing so, he hap- 
pened to come in contact with the stand, which upset 
and all the apples rolled over into the street. 

At another time they fastened a cord across several 
door ways just high enough to cause a person coming 
hurridly out of the house to fall; then they would hallo, 

[ 42 ] 


Modern Fairy Tales 


43 


fire! fire! and hide themselves to watch the people come 
pell-mell out of their homes to fall flat on the street. 

At other times they would fasten tin pails to dogs tails 
and turn them loose to see them run. 

They would tie cats’ tails together and hang them over 
suspended clothes line, to see them fight and scratch; 
would catch their neighbors cocks and clip all their feathers 
off, just leaving a few sticking out of their tails. 

Put dead snakes under their sister’s pillows to frighten 
her almost to death. 

Once they tied a billy goat to the front door of the par- 
sonage late at night, and when the parson was awakened 
by the incessant butting of the goat against the door and 
opened it, the goat made for him and butted him half way 
up the stairway, when luckily neighbors came with sticks 
and clubs and drove the animal out. 

Oh! they were bad boys; they would play truant when 
sent to school, and go fishing; and when they did attend, 
they would create all kinds of disturbance, such as turning 
bees, wasps, and all kind of insects loose in the school 
room. 

Once they put a number of lizards in their schoolmaster’s 
desk; put crooked pins, pitch and resin in the seats so 
that when the scholars sat down they stuck fast. They 
did not confine themselves altogether to this kind of mis- 
deeds, but were cruel even to birds and insects. 

For instance, they would catch butterflies and pull their 
wings out. Stick pins through bugs and grasshoppers 
and delight to see them struggle to get free. 

Oh! they were very bad boys; impudent to their mother 
when she complained of their leaving their clothes lying 



N4] 















Modern Fairy Tales 


45 


about, and when she told them to do something for her, 
they would run off and purposely pretend to have forgotten 
it. 

They got so bad that the neighbors complained and 
threatened to have them arrested for their misdeeds; but 
their sister, who was very kind and good to every one, 
begged them not to do so. 

One day, when they least expected it, they happened to 
meet their match. 

Some distance from the neighborhood they infested, 
out in the country, in a dense body of woods, there lived 
and old woman in a hut built of logs. 

She was all alone; no companions, but two immense 
black cats, which had big fiery red eyes and big bushy 
tails. They were really almost as large as tigers; had great 
long sharp claws, and whenever any one would come to 
see the old woman, they would habitually sit one on each 
side of her, ready to spring at the visitor and scratch his 
eyes out, if he tried to molest their mistress. 

Now this old woman was considered an old witch who 
pretended to have the gift of foretelling the future. 

She really did tell some remarkable things. 

Once she told a man who was penniless and without a 
home; “a fire had just destroyed everything he possessed,” 
where to dig in his garden for treasure; and he unearthed 
an iron chest filled with gold and silver and precious stones; 
and when he wanted to give the old woman some of the 
treasure for telling him where to find it, she positively 
refused to take any, and told him to be good to his family, 
make good use of it and he would prosper, which he 
did. 


46 


Modern Fairy Tales 


At another time she told a lady who persisted in asking 
just how long she had to live; the old woman gave the 
exact time, and the lady died precisely at the date speci- 
fied. 

Again she told a man who had been sick a long, long 
time, to get a certain root that grew near the creek and 
chew it for eleven days and he would be cured. He fol- 
lowed her instruction and got well. 

Lots of other remarkable things which came true she 
told people who visited her. 

So every one stood in awe of her. 

Occasionally she could be seen in the village dressed in 
a short red woolen skirt with a green shawl around her 
shoulders and on her head a tall peaked hat; on one arm 
a large willow basket in which to carry home food for 
herself and cats; she also used a large long stick to support 
her in walking. 

She was never known to beg, paid for everything she 
bought in pure gold; so some people thought she must be 
rich. 

She was a strange old woman that no one could get 
acquainted with, for she never once told any one her name. 

But one thing was certain: if any poor person living 
within ten miles of her home ever got into destitute cir- 
cumstances and prayed to the Lord to help him, by some 
means he was helped. 

Many there were who arose in the morning to find a 
lump of shining gold on their door step; the owner of 
which they were never able to find, and when the old 
woman was questioned, she told them they had better sell 
it, as there were lots more where that came from. 


Modern Fairy Tales 


47 


Bill and Tom knew all this, but scoffed at all they heard. 

One day they concluded to visit the old woman and 
tease her, so just about sun down, not telling their mother 
where they were going, they called on the old woman. 

She was sitting outside of her door with her two cats 
reclining at her feet; when Bill and Tom stopped in front 
of her and gazed at her, she inquired: “What do you 
wish, young men? I know you are not here for any good.” 

“Not much,” said Bill, “unless looking at you does any 
one good; for you are uglier than your old cats. 

“Say, old witch, can you ride a broomstick like the 
witches of old? we want to go inside of your old hut and 
see where you roost,” said Tom. 

While they were making fun of the old woman the cats 
began spitting, and if the old woman had not checked 
them, would have leaped on the two bad boys. 

She held up her hands and said: “Listen, young men, 
you have now gotten to the end of your pranks, and when 
I get through with you, both of you will be different boys”; 
saying which she waved her hands, and immediately a 
fine mist arose, like a cloud around them; then all at once 
two immense turtles crawled into sight, driven by an 
awful looking demon of a man; he had a black face and 
fiery red eyes and two horns on his head, and his body was 
covered all over with green fish scales that emitted sparks 
whenever he moved. 

He took Bill and Tom by the nape of their necks and 
before they knew it landed them on top of the turtles, on 
each of which he planted a foot. 

Then suddenly the ground opened before them and 
away they went. 





Bismsgasu"! 


SSSSHar 


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Ms:?* 






t48] 




























Modern Fairy Tales 


49 


Bill and Tom were so frightened that they could not 
even cry out; move, they could not, as they were held 
fast as if they were in a vise. 

Onward they sped it seemed into the bowels of the Earth. 

As they went along immense serpents crawled hissing 
out of their way; in whatever direction they looked they 
could see black demons with fiery eyes staring at them. 

Suddenly they stopped; every bit of their clothing was 
torn off and they were thrown headlong into a big smooth 
china bowl so large and smooth that, try as they would, 
they could not reach the top edge. 

Suddenly there was a flash and a brilliant light shone 
which changed to a greenish tint and lit up the surround- 
ings, and whom should they see but the old woman sitting 
on a chair far above them. 

She cast her eyes downward at them and said: “Now 
young men, we will teach you a lesson you won’t forget 
soon.” Then she waved a wand she held in her hand and 
an immense wasp as big as a horse flew over into the place 
in which they were, and, with his eyes as big as saucers, 
stared at them. 

We have got you now, young tormentors! little you 
thought when you stuck pins through our little mates on 
earth that the same could be done to you. 

Now, if we felt like it we could sting you to d^ath, it 
said, and with that it flapped its immense wings, knock- 
ing Bill and Tom down; and before they could get up 
each one received a severe prick from its stinger, which 
caused them to scream with pain. 

They tried in every way to get out of the way of the 
monster, but he had them going round and round the 


If »l ' 



[ 50 ] 


Vf\w 





















Modern Fairy Tales 


51 


big bowl, until they dropped with fatigue and pain when 
the wasp left them. 

Oh! they were sore all over, so they begged the old 
woman to save them; but she only laughed. 

“How do you like it, boys? why don’t you stick a pin 
through the wasp”? Just then over the edge of the bowl 
came a butterfly so large that he appeared to the boys 
the size of a sailboat; and when he hopped down into the 
immense receptable a black powder flew off him that 
literally covered Bill and Tom until they were as black as 
soot. 

Oh! didn’t they feel nice! . . . sore all over! 

and covered with soot; but that was not all; after accom- 
plishing what he wanted to do the Giant Butterfly asked, 
“why don’t you puH my wings out”? with that he gave 
them a flap which sent them entirely across the bowl about 
twenty feet. 

He then spread his immense wings and flew away. 

The next one to visit them was a Giant Grasshopper 
over ten feet long, with great big round eyes and an im- 
mense mouth, from which he ejected a black sticky liquid 
like tar. 

He soon espied BiH and Tom, who were now crying and 
screaming from terror, and commenced to squirt the stuff 
over them, until they were fairly deluged with it. 

Oh! didn’t they look nice, naked, black, and sticky all 
over. 

As the Grasshopper left them, there could be seen birds 
of all descriptions, flying over them just raining down 
feathers on them; immense roosters all around, perching 
on the edge of the big bowl, crowing at them, saying, “How 



[52 1 


Modern Fairy Tales 


53 


do you like it boys? come and pull our feathers out if you 
can”; and didn’t Bill and Tom look pretty black and 
sticky, with tar and feathers all over them? 

They felt awfully bad, and oh! they were getting fear- 
fully hungry and thirsty, too, and nothing on them but 
feathers; they sat huddled up in the center of the bowl 
waiting to see what would happen to them next. 

Finally the old woman waved her wand and a big iron 
basket was seen coming down from above with the same 
black demon in it, who immediately clutched a boy in 
each of his big hands that had claws on them instead of 
finger-nails. He lifted them into the basket and they 
heard the old woman say: “Now feed them and put them 
to work.” 

No sooner had she spoken the words than the iron basket 
went up, then moved forward, and it grew suddenly dark. 

They felt themselves being propelled by some unseen 
power. 

At last the basket came to a stop and the black demon 
gave each a shovel and they found themselves in front of a 
big iron furnace, which was filled with coal and fire. 

Everywhere could be seen black naked demons, with long 
shovels and pokers, putting coal in the fires. 

As far as you could see there were rows and rows of 
furnaces, some red hot from the tremendious fires raging 
within. 

The demon who accompanied the boys, now gave each 
a black loaf of bread and a piece of meat that looked like 
snake meat and told them to eat it, and if they were thirsty 
they could drink the water which they saw spurting out of 
the walls in several places, and to be quick about it, as they 


54 


Modern Fairy Tales 


would have to shovel coal into the furnaces all night long, 
until they were relieved by other bad boys. 

Now Bill and Tom did not relish black bread and snake 
meat, but they would either have to eat it or starve to 
death, and they were so hungry they had to eat something; 
they had hardly finished their meal when a crowd of demons 
brought Tom a long shovel and Bill a long poker, and they 
had to go to work; whenever they stopped the demons threw 
red hot coals at them. 

They had to work all night long, until they were so tired 
and hot that they actually dropped right down on the 
ground and could’nt get up, and their eyes closed in sleep. 

While they were sleeping, and all the demons had left, 
who should come to where they were but their dear sister, 
and right behind her was the old woman, and oh! how 
their sister did beg the old woman to have mercy on them 
and let them come home again. 

Her entreaties finally prevailed and the old woman told 
her that as she was such a good girl she would partly relieve 
her brothers of the spell; then she waved her wand and the 
big turtles came waddling up to where they were, and they 
put the two boys on the back of one and themselves on the 
back of the other. 

The turtles crawled down a long passage until they came 
to a big round room, in the center of which was a fountain. 

The old woman then woke the boys and told them to 
wash themselves at the fountain and get all the black off 
them, which they did; but they could not get the stain off 
their fingers, do what they would. 

The old woman then told them that if it had not been 
for their kind sister who came to her hut to bring her 


Modern Fairy Tales 


55 


some good things and inquired for them, they would have, 
never seen daylight again; and if that they would promise 
to be good boys in future, and be kind to everybody and 
everything, she would let them go home with their sister 
and give them back their clothes, but that the black would 
not come off their fingers until they fulfilled their promise, 
and that if they violated their word and continued their 
wicked ways, for every wicked thing they did they would 
get blacker and blacker, until they would be black all over, 
and the demons would come and take them back to shovel 
coal in the furnaces. 

So, after Bill and Tom had bathed, they put on their 
clothes, which suddenly dropped at their feet from above, 
and being led by the old woman and their sister, they 
passed through another long dark passage and once more 
found themselves out in front of the old woman’s hut. 

It did not take them long to get away from there; but 
the first thing they did was to embrace their dear sister 
and thank her for rescuing them from the demons. 

From that time on they were changed boys. 

When they got home they told their mother everything 
that had happened to them, and promised her that they 
would be good boys from now on; and their mother found 
later that their promises had been sincere, for they really 
became good. 

They truly kept their word, and always did what their 
mother wanted them to do. 

They attended school regularly, learned their lessons 
well, and never again played naughty tricks. As time wore 
on, all the black left their hands; first one finger, than 
another became clean, and finally all were cleansed, and 


56 


Modern Fairy Tales 


they began to improve in looks to such an extent that 
everyone remarked how handsome Bill and Tom Potts 
were getting; and all the girls fell in love with them, because 
they were so obliging to everyone. 

I tell you children, they never forgot the experience 
th ey went through. 

One day, a year or two after their terrible punishment, 
the old woman was found dead by some people who called 
to see her, and in the middle of the hut they found a big 
tin box filled with gold, silver and preciou s stones, with 
a note bequething same to Bill and Tom on condition they 
would take care of her two big black cats and treat them 
kindly; and to their sister she left a diamond necklace 
to be given to her the day she married. 

So the boys each took a cat and got their sister, whom 
they paid liberally, to look after them. 

Many a romp they had with the big black cats, which 
got to be really affectionate; and so we will leave them 
enjoying themselves, for this is the end of my story which 
is written to prove to you that it pays a great deal better 
to be good to everyone and everything, than to be naughty 
and bad. 


Bell and Nell 

(A New York Fairy Story) 


FIRST PART 

ERE were, once upon a time, two fairies, 
and they were two mischievous, frolicsome 
and fun-loving fairies; for I must tell you 
that in the fairy story I tell, there are all 
kinds of fairies; some are wicked, some are 
good, and others quiet and sedate. 

There were also some like the two I am going to tell 
you about. 

Now these fairies, you must know, could transform 
themselves into anything or any person they wished to at 
will, and that in the twinkling of an eye. 

Now listen: these two fairies my story is about, had made 
up their minds at one time to get on a lark and have some 
fun out of the people that inhabit this earth. 

So they looked about them for some material to work 
upon, and it did not take them very long either to find it, 
for the world is so large, and so many people are living in it, 
that it was an easy thing to commence their pranks at once. 

Now their first opportunity occurred in the big city of 
New York on one of the principal streets. 

An old man was staggering along the street, first on one 
side of the pavement then on the other, using the whole 
sidewalk; his perambulating resembled very much a ship 

[ 57 ] 




[68) 




Modern Fairy Tales 


59 


navigating without a rudder or an automobile without a 
steering appurtenance. 

He had just come out of a saloon in which he had been 
imbibing pretty freely of strong drink, and it was just 
beginning to have an effect; he was on his way home. 

Said Bell to Nell, those were the names of the two 
fairies, “let us see if we cannot cure that old fellow of that 
bad habit or have some fun out of him at his expense/ , 

“All right/’ answered Nell, “let us change to animals 
at once and tantalize him some.” 

So Bell quickly changed into a dog, ran after the old 
man and began barking at his heels, actually caught hold 
of his trouser’s legs, pulled first on one of them then on the 
other, finally got between his legs and caused the old 
fellow to get still more tangled up, and down he went on 
his hands and knees. 

Nell, who had meanwhile changed into a goat, began to 
butt him, so that every time he tried to get up, down he 
fell again. 

They kept this up until a crowd gathered around them 
to witness the fun; his predicament was so comical they 
could not help laughing. 

At last a big policeman came up to see what was going 
on here and enforce the law and restore order; he com- 
menced by making a grab at the old man to pull him up, 
and at the same time attempted to kick Bell, when Nell, 
who could not resist the temptation, made a butt at him 
in his rear and down came the guardian of the law, right 
on top of the old man. 

“Of course his coat tails flew up,” and Bell made a grab 
at one of them and tore it off, with also a piece of his panta- 



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Modern Fairy Tales 


61 


loons behind ; the latter came off very easily, because it was 
worn quite thin from frequently sitting down to rest while 
on duty. 

Now an old Irish woman who happened to be in the 
crowd, and who had a market basket full of provisions on 
her head, thought she could straighten things up a bit, 
and with one hand she seized the policeman’s club to use 
it on the goat; the policeman, who just then was in the 
act of rising, backed up against the old woman, and the 
sudden jar caused her to loosen her hold on her basket, 
which tilted over, scattering the contents of a bag of flour, 
covering him all over wdth it, so that he resembled a miller 
just out of the mill. 

The old woman began to fuss, the crowd jeered, the 
policeman swore, the old man groaned, the dog barked, 
making a comedy free for all. 

It certainly was amusing for the time being. 

Finally Nell got tired of butting the policeman, veneered 
around and got between the old woman’s lower limbs, so 
that she fell over on the goat’s back, and, to save herself from 
falling, caught hold of Nell’s horns; the animal ran, carrying 
her along to a puddle of water and lime, “where some men 
were mixing up mortar,” and dropped her in; Bell, who was 
enjoying the sport, ran behind Nell, barking gleefully; 
and both finally vanished around the street corner. 

It was some time before the policeman could get rid of 
the flour on his clothes, and the old Irish woman had 
quite a time getting rid of the mortar and regaining her 
basket of groceries. 

The drunken man, who was the cause of it all, sobered 
up some, and managed to get away from the spot, as 


62 


Modern Fairy Tales 


quickly as he could, but not before the policeman caught 
him. 

Whether he was made to pay the damage or not, I really 
never found out, but I suppose he did, for the old woman 
followed him, and demanded pay for the flour that was 
wasted. 

SECOND PART 

The second act of the fairies proved almost as comical 
as the first, and I will now endeavor to give you a history 
of it. 

Near the suburbs of the city a certain man, a dealer in 
birds, kept a variety of them for sale in cages. 

He had mocking birds, canary birds and also quite a 
number of parrots. 

The parrot, you understand, is a kind of bird that people 
can teach to speak some things — short sentences, for 
instance, such as “How do you do”? “Never say die,” “Do 
tell,” and lots of other words. 

Bell and Nell concluded to transform themselves into 
parrots, and as this bird dealer had two parrots in separate 
cages hanging outside of his door, they deliberately opened 
the cage doors and let the birds out and immediately 
took their places, no one seeing them do so. 

A short time afterwards, down the street came an old 
maid, for any one could judge she was an old maid by the 
way she was dressed and the way she walked. 

Just as she came to where our birds were, Bell squeaked 
out shrilly, “Buy me! buy me! please buy me”! 

The old girl could not resist that, she stopped, looked at 
the birds, who kept on saying “Buy me! buy me! you pretty 


Modern Fairy Tales 


63 


dear! you sweet thing.” She hesitated, looked all around, 
but “You sweet thing,” “You pretty dear,” decided her. 
She thought it would be quite a novelty to take one of these 
birds home to keep her company, as she had a cat, a poodle 
dog, and several other pets, but none of them could talk; 
and then she thought it would be so nice to teach the parrot 
to say Bible words, “when the minister of the church she 
was a member of,” came to visit her. 

So she called the proprietor of the store, and after much 
dickering, finally came into the possession of Bell. 

Bell, to please the buyer, kept on saying “Home sweet 
home”! “You dear sweet thing!” repeating it several times. 

Now when the old lady arrived home, nothing would do 
but to invite the preacher to an evening tea and show 
him her new purchase. 

Bell was beginning to get very lonesome without her 
playmate Nell, so she did her prettiest when the preacher 
came. 

She spoke all manner of things, such as, “You’re a darling,” 
No one to love”! “I’m lonely to night love without you”! 
“Please buy me”! “Let’s get married”! “Why don’t you kiss 
her”! “What’s home without a mother”! “Don’t he look 
sweet”! 

The preacher was quite taken with Bell, called her pretty 
polly and remarked “what a lovely bird”; finally hinted, 
saying, “how he would like to own such a wonderful bird.” 

The old lady was delighted and told him where she 
purchased Bell, and informed him that the man also had 
another one to sell quite as good as this one, so the preacher 
couldn’t wait; the very next day he called at the bird dealers 
and bought Nell and carried her to his home. 









Modern Fairy Tales 


65 


Now I forgot to tell you that the preacher was an old 
bachelor, and, notwithstanding that he was a learned 
divine, he had two failings : one was that he thought himself 
a very handsome man; some people would call that being 
a little vain. 

The other was that now and then he would indulge in a 
little stimulant in the shape of apple brandy, which he kept 
hid in the drawer of his desk. 

Now as for his being good looking, I will give you a 
description of him as nearly as I can. 

In the first place he was very tall, about six feet four 
inches, and having very long legs would make extraordinary 
strides in walking, so that if he should happen to be walking 
with one of the gentlier sex she would have to run to keep 
up with him. 

His hair was a fiery red, what little he had; the top of 
his head was bald. 

To cover that discrepancy he had a wig made to order 
and wore it continually, so that very few of even his most 
intimate friends knew he was bald. 

His nose was a long straight one and the tip of it was 
forever of a rich crimson. 

He tried every way in the world to disguise its color, 
and sometimes would succeed very well with cosmetics, 
but when he at times delivered a discourse, “in which he 
waxed warm,” the nose would shine and disclose its crimson 
hue. 

There is one more thing I will mention: he did really have 
a nice side beard, if one fancies that. It was long and wavy 
and he kept it in beautiful order; it helped much in giving 
him a clerical appearance, for if it had been taken off his 







mmmi 


[ 66 ] 




Modern Fairy Tales 


67 


cadaverous cheek-bones would have protruded more than 
ever; he must have known this, for he took very good care 
of it. 

You ought to have seen him strutting along the street, 
an umbrella in one hand and the bird cage with Nell in it 
in the other. 

Once he came near stepping into a baby carriage that a 
nurse was pushing along the sidewalk, but Nell, the poll 
parrot, squeaked “Hold the fort, Fm coming.” Just in 
time to call him to a halt long enough to excuse himself. 

Finally he reached his home, walked right into his study, 
rang the call-bell and sent for his housekeeper, who ap- 
peared, and he ordered her to be very quick and bring him 
a hammer and some nails so that he could hang up the 
bird cage at once; also, to fetch some cheese and crackers 
for the bird to eat, and some milk in a saucer. 

Now, his housekeeper was a big fat old negro woman 
that used to nurse him when he was a child. 

Her weight was about one hundred and eighty pounds, 
and she was very short and chunky and black as soot. 

She almost always complained of rheumatism, or “ru- 
mattics,” as she called it. 

She blurted out after she got through catching her 
breath, for she pretended to be quite out of breath from 
coming up the steps from below; she had just been in the 
act of making up bread; her sleeves were rolled up and her 
black arms were still covered with flour, even if her hands 
were free from it, for she had just wiped them on her apron. 

“Moly Hoses! Mars Reuben! whar in de world did you git 
dat dar forsakenest little critter from in dat dar cage”? she 
exclaimed. 


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Modern Fairy Tales 


“I knows dat am wot you alius calls cruelty to de animals, 
to shut up dat poor bird in a prison box and spec me to feed 
it dar. 

“How is you gwine to be able to say your grace at de 
table, when you is got de freedum to go whar you please, 
and dat dar poor innocent critter am all shut up in dat 
stuffy cage wid not a particle o’ sunshine to bless it? git 
what? hammer and nails? Now you knows dar aint 
nuffin but a hatchet in de house dat I split de lightwood wid; 
git dat? all right! an* nails, too? what you want but one 
nail; who ebber herd ob two nails to hang dat ting on? 
Cheese and crackers? Good-sakes a-live! when was dar a 
piece of cheese in dis house? De las piece dat was in de 
house you lowd it would gin you de miss pepshun if you 
done eat it; an’ I was glad you did’nt eat it, as I don’t 
know what miss pepshun or any oder miss would want to 
do in dis here house which I’se been regerlating so long. 

“Git it anyhow? Fore de law, Mars Reuben, dar is 
skippers in dat cheese as long as nitting needles. 

“Crackers? all right, I’se got dem, but what substance 
dar am in dat kind ob bread, I ain’t nebber seed yet. 

“Milk? Now, Mars Reuben, you knows dat is pure 
conglomorous; who ebber heerd a bird drink cow milk? 

“Now if it was a kitten dat would be de stuff to feed it 
wid, letting lone de cheese and crackers. 

“What do birds drink”? 

Just then Nell, the parrot, who had been looking all 
around the room, looked straight at Susan and squeaked, 
“Apple brandy”! 

Susan’s eyes came near popping out of her head, as the 
darkey would say, “her mouth riz wide open,” “Hallay- 


Modern Fairy Tales 


69 


luyah”! “Good Lord! sabe dis here poor nigger! de debil 
am talking! Mars Reuben, I’se gwine to die! sabe me! 
sabe me! it am de debil wid his forked tail done bin and got 
in dat dar bird. 

“I knows it; for I done heard it say 'Brandy/ and I 
knows dat am de debit’s brew; better take dat bird right 
straight back whar you done got it from; dar ain’t no good 
gwine to come out o’ it; dar is gwine to be a deff in de 
fambly, I knows it; I feel it in my bones, as I ain’t been 
feeling none of de bestis nohow for de las two days.” 

"Susan, don’t be so foolish; do as I tell you,” persisted 
the parson. 

“All right, Mars Reuben, but I ain’t gwine to touch it 
nohow; I’ll git dem tings for it, but notin’ less den water 
I’se gwine to git for it to drink, and if dat won’t do I knows 
I ain’t gwine to hunt round dem saloons to buy brandy 
nohow; no sah! de lor sabe me.” With that she shuffled 
out of the room and you could have heard her go bumpety 
bump down the steps. 

Mars Reuben, meanwhile put the cage on his desk, hung 
up his hat, removed his coat, then took hold of the cage* 
held it up, saying, “Well, what will be the next thing I 
shall buy? Polly! Polly! do you want a cracker? I wish 
that old woman would hasten; I am going to teach this 
bird how to say a lot of things, let me see,” the man said, 
“I would have to repeat things over and over again before 
the bird will speak them. 

“Now let’s see how this will do. 

“Sister, do you love me? Sister, do you love me? Sister, 
do you love me”? 

“Amen,” “Amen,” “go to bed,” said Nell, the parrot. 


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Modern Fairy Tales 


Then he repeated, “Sister, do you love me,” again, three 
times, and the bird again said, “Amen,” “go to bed,” with 
the addition of “give us a rest,” “Pull down your vest,” 
“Long time tween drinks.” 

So the parson gave it up, saying, “I’ll try him in the 
morning.” “Give us a rest,” “you’r a honey,” said Nell. 

Presently Susan brought the food, and the preacher 
arranged it so that Nell could eat it’ then the bell rang, 
calling him to his evening repast; just before he left he 
unlocked his desk, reached into the furthermost part of it 
and drew out a flask and decanter, poured out a little 
brandy and was about to put it to his lips when Nell in her 
cage spoke out, “There’s nothing too good for the Irish.” 

He came near dropping the glass, but remembered it 
was only the bird. 

Hastily replacing the flask and decanter, he hurried out 
of the room. 

The next day a committee from the church waited on him 
to ask his advice in a certain matter of improvements they 
were going to put on the building. 

Brother Reuben asked them into his study; and, of course, 
they had to admire his new purchase; and he, to please them, 
tried every way to make Nell speak, but he could’nt get 
the bird to talk, and it being the custom to have prayer 
before going into business, he was asked to open with a 
short prayer; as they all knelt down and he was about to 
commence, the parrot startled them with these words: 
“Let’s liquor up,” “Let’s liquor up,” “Apple brandy for 
me,” “Apply brandy for me.” 

The deacons were so surprised that they did not under- 
stand a word Brother Reuben said, and when he finished, 


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Nell said, “Amen,” “Amen,” “Let’s go to bed,” “Long 
time fore drinks.” 

The deacons advised Brother Reuben to get that bird 
exchanged for another, for whoever had taught that bird 
to talk could’nt have been filled with the grace of God, 
and it might get him into trouble by speaking words not 
w r ell to be heard in company. 

When Nell started again, “Go it old toper, there’s 
nothing too good for the Irish,” “Long time tween drinks,” 
“Let’s liquor up,” “Apple brandy for me.” 

“Oh! I intend to teach that parrot other words if the 
Lord will permit,” said Brother Reuben; I will soon break 
up that slang. 

“I was giving him his first lesson just before you came.” 
“I do love a sister”; “I do love a sister”; “Brandy in the 
desk,” “Brandy in the desk,” “Let’s liquor up,” “Long 
time tween drinks,” said the parrot. 

The deacons looked at one another and smiled, the 
preacher’s face turned so red that the end of his nose began 
to bloom quite scarlet. He coughed, he cleared his throat 
“A-he’m!” but the parrot kept on “Brandy for me,” 
“Brandy for me,” “Lets get married,” “I love you so,” 
“Brandy for me,” “There’s nothing too good for the Irish.” 
The preacher could’nt stand it any longer; he reached up, 
took down the cage, rang the bell for Susan. She came at 
last, waddling up the steps, blowing like a porpoise; “What 
am de matter, Mars Reuben”? Before she could say any 
more he handed her the bird-cage. “No sah! no sah! I 
ain’t gwine to hab nodding to do wid dat imp ob de debbil; 
I ain’t gwine to tech it, fore de Lord I ain’t. 


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“Mars Reuben don’t ax me to; for I knows dat de debbil 
am in dat dar bird/’ and with her hands over her face, she 
broke out crying and shouting: “De Lord libberd Danial 
out ob de fiery furnice, and out ob de jaws ob de lion’s den; 
and de Lord libberd brudder Jonah, from de whales belly} 
and de Lord done routed de listians from de chillun ob 
Isrial; Dear Lord, please libber me, from dis I is axed to do.” 
To shorten the story, the preacher had to order Susan back, 
excuse himself to the brethren for a few minutes, and 
carry the bird out himself, the bird still talking all the 
while: “Brandy in the desk,” “Brandy in the desk,” “Apple 
brandy for me,” “Apple brandy for me,” “There’s nothing 
too good for the Irish.” 

When the preacher left the room the deacons broke 
into a merry laugh. 

One said, “He has got his hobby now”; another said, 
“I wonder if what the bird said is true”; another remarked, 
“I would’nt be surprised, to judge by the look of his nose.” 

There was quite a sensation. 

Some proposed to take a peep into the desk; but abandon- 
ed it, for the desk was locked. 

“I wonder what he will do with the bird”? 

“I judge he will carry it back and get it exchanged.” 

“I wonder what caused him to purchase it”? and quite 
a number of questions were asked, and all sorts of con- 
jectures were made. 

At last our Reverend Sir returned, smiling, for he had 
concluded fully what to do with Nell. 

He was going to carry it over to Sister Lucinda at the 
very first opportunity and get her to keep the bird for 
him. 


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So after the committee left in the afternoon, he put his 
design into execution; he dressed very carefully, and with 
his umbrella in one hand and bird-cage in the other, he 
betook himself to the street which led to the residence 
of the old maid, or “Sister Lucinda,” as we shall call her. 

It was quite a distance he had to walk and it was dusk 
when he arrived at her house and was on the point of 
ringing the door bell, when his ears were assailed with 
sounds of hilarity and mirth from the interior; he rang the 
bell, a maid came to the door, who, on recognizing the 
preacher, invited him in. 

On entering he placed his hat, umbrella and bird-cage in 
the hall. 

He was met by Sister Lucinda, looking very much 
flushed; Bell, her parrot, had been amusing quite a large 
company in the parlor, all members of a sewing circle, of 
which Sister Lucinda was president. 

They were about to have a meeting; but Bell took part 
in the opening, and set all of them laughing by the remarks 
she made; such, for instance, as “What a happy time 
we’re having,” “Pas me the snuff”; “If I only had a beau,” 
“Let’s take a bath,” “Where was Moses when the light 
went out.” etc. Under this fusillade of nonsense of 
course the meeting could not come to order. 

Now, as Brother Reuben had arrived so unexpectedly, 
he had to be presented, for most of the company were 
members of his congregation. 

Sister Lucinda ushered him into the parlor and such a 
handshaking there was; it was “Oh! Brother Reuben”; 
“Dear Brother Reuben”; “so glad you came; so glad to see 
you; what a lovely surprise,” and so and so. It was very 


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much after the order of what Methodist’s would call a love 
feast. 

Above all you could hear Bell, inside the parlor and 
Nell in the hall echoing each other by squeaking: “Praise 
God from whom all blessings flow,” and “Hold the fort for 
I am coming.” 

After everything had quieted down somewhat and 
Brother Reuben managed to engage the attention of 
Sister Lucinda again, he asked her quietly if she would do 
him a favor; that she must not say no under any con- 
sideration; that there was not one of his acquaintances he 
admired as much as he did her and therefore he would 
speak to her first. 

Sister Lucinda’s heart began to jump and throb, and you 
could have heard it go pitty-ta-pat, for she felt confident 
that he was about to propose. 

“Oh”! she said, “Dear Brother Reuben, please don’t 
hesitate, just speak out, anything that is in my power, 
with God’s permission, I will certainly do for you, and 
take it as a great honor that you should come to me 
first. 

“I am so glad you think so much of me, and you will 
see that I will not abuse the confidence you repose in me. 

“Now what is it you want me to do”? and she tried to 
look so sweet, bashful and modest. 

So encouraged, he told her about the parrot he bought, 
and that Susan his housekeeper would not tend it, that 
he had no one to take care of it for him, that he thought of 
her and would take it as a personal favor if she would con- 
sent to take charge of it for him; as she had one already, 
a pair would be company for each other. 


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“And is that all? Brother Reuben”? she said it very 
slow. 

With the greatest of pleasure she would accept the 
charge; “But when are you going to send the bird?” 

“I have it in the hall! excuse me a moment and I will 
get it.” 

He immediately went out into the hall and soon re- 
appeared with the caged bird. 

“Here it is,” giving it to Sister Lucinda. 

She took the cage, turned to the company and said, 

“Look, ladies! here is the mate to that mischievous 
bird of mine; Brother Reuben wants me to take care of it 
for him. Suppose I put both together and see how they 
will like it.” 

“Oh do! oh do”! they all exclaimed. So Sister Lucinda 
opened the door of the cage that Bell was in and started 
to open the other in which was Nell; when Bell, seeing 
the door open, flew out into the room, and as everyone 
started after Bell, Nell took advantage of the opportunity 
and hopped out of her cage, whereupon part of the com- 
pany set to chasing her. 

Now Bell and Nell had things to their liking; they 
hopped first on one piece of furniture and then on another. 

The ladies gave chase, and such a hubbub is rarely 
seen; each got in the other’s way. 

Brother Reuben, in trying to shut the window, made 
too long a stride, hung his foot in one of the rugs and 
trying to keep from falling, upset a stand loaded with 
bric-a-brac; one of the ladies in attempting to catch one 
of our birds, which was on top of a large mirror, caused the 
mirror to fall with a crash on top of another lady. 



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One lady upset the big parlor lamp and the oil ran all 
over the carpet and caught a fire. 

Sister Lucinda fainted and fell into the preacher’s lap, 
who had taken momentary refuge in the big rocker. 

Every one screamed, and during all this our birds added 
to the confusion by squeaking as loud as they could, 
“Hold the fort for I am coming”; “Apple brandy for me”; 
“Let’s get married”; “Let’s liquor up”; “There’s nothing 
too good for the Irish,” and so forth. 

Brother Reuben, while his attention was being taken 
with Sister Lucinda, suddenly found his wig come off and 
one of the birds had tight hold of it in its claws. 

The room filled with smoke; every one screamed, some 
fainted, some hallooed fire; one old maid had tight hold 
of one of Brother Reuben’s long legs imploring him to 
save her; everything was confusion, and in the midst of it 
outsiders rushed in with pails of water, which they dashed 
right and left all over the room, over everything, seeing 
the room was on fire; but finally the windows were opened 
and Bell and Nell took their departure with the parting 
shot: “There’s nothing too good for the Irish,” and quickly 
changed themselves into two small boys, who could be 
seen looking in from the outside, and laughing to their 
heart’s content at the confusion they had caused. 

The excitement gradually ceased after the departure of 
our fairies. 

Of course Brother Reuben and Sister Lucinda had to 
do without parrots; perhaps they got married and forgot 
all about the birds. 

One thing was certain, the meeting was long remembered 
by those who were present. 



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THIRD PART 

This time we see our two fairies on the way to the races 
at the county fair. 

They were watching for an opportunity to do more mis- 
chief and to be in a good position to see everyone that came 
along the road to the fair grounds. 

They again changed themselves into birds and flew 
up on a limb of a big oak tree, in which they could hide 
and still see the people passing. 

By and by along came an old countryman riding on an 
old bony horse. 

Not very far from where our fairies were on the other 
side of the road was an old inn or tavern, and on side of 
this old inn, nearest to the fairies, were a couple of horse- 
racks or hitching posts to which people, who stopped at 
the inn for refreshments, tied their horses. 

Now this old countryman, as* he intended stopping 
awhile, tied his old horse to one of these posts, near which 
several other horses were already tied. 

Bell and Nell being now quite ready to begin operations 
proposed to change themselves, the one into a horse and 
the other into a man, the owner of Bell, the horse. No 
sooner decided on than the transformation took place. 

Bell disguised herself so as to be the exact counterpart 
of the old bony horse, and Nell personated a man all 
dressed up in a fine suit of clothes, and wearing a high 
hat. 

He led Bell over to the horse-rack, tied her there, and 
took the old countryman’s horse, unbeknown to him, 
and led him into the woods, where, by rubbing and putting 


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a spell on him, she got the old horse to look so nice that 
the owner would never have recognized him. 

She then brought him back and tied him also to the 
horse rack. 

It was Nell, you must remember, who was a man now, 
and dressed up, looked as any other man would look in 
his Sunday best. 

He walked into the tavern; a number of men were in 
there talking about the races. 

One of them, the old countryman, had just made the 
remark that if he had a horse that was a good trotter he 
would'nt mind competing for the five hundred dollar 
prize offered by the fair promoters. 

One of the men said, “Old man, it’s no use wasting your 
breath, you have'nt got the horse, so shut up, for there 
will be some horses on the race course today that will 
make your eyes water to see them go. 

“You and I, and all of us here, are not in it.” 

“I beg your pardon,” said Nell, who happened to hear 
the remark. 

“You haven't seen my horse yet; come out here and let 
me show him to you. 

So they, with one accord, went out to view Nell's 
horse. 

The old countryman said, “Yes, if I had that animal 
I would certainly try even if I lost.” 

Nell asked him which was his horse? 

He pointed to Bell, “This is my old nag; but she has 
seen her best days. 

“I would like to trade her off for something better, and 
would'nt mind paying some boot if it came within reach 


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of my pocket-book, for if there is anything I do like it is 
a fine horse that can go without a lash or whip.” 

“Old man, how would you like to trade with me”? said 
Nell, “you can see my horse is the same color as yours, 
for the balance, you will soon find out if you try him.” 

“How much boot do you want”? said the farmer, for he 
had an eye to business at once, and Nell's horse looked 
very nice. 

“Not any, provided, if, instead of racing the horse you 
will get from me, you will either bet or ride your old nag. 

“Now here is the proposition, you can suit yourself 
either way. 

“We will swap horses, then off to the races; when we 
get there you or I, either one of us, will put up our money. 

“If you put up the money, I will ride, or if I put up the 
money, you will have to be the jockey. Now what do you 
say”? 

All the men burst out laughing; Ha! ha! ha! Hey! hey! hey! 
“Old man he is making fun of you, don't you see”? “Not a 
bit; I can't see any fun in it,” said the old countryman. 

“Well, don't you see,” they exclaimed, “if you put up the 
money, you are bound to loose, for that old stack of bones 
can't make a mile an hour after eating a bushel of oats, 
and if he puts up the money, everybody will poke fun at 
you; you will be as the clown in the circus — everybody's 
fool. 

“Well!” said the farmer, “if by being a fool one day I 
can make an even trade with this gentleman, he will cer- 
tainly be the looser, not I.” 

“All right stranger, I will do as you say; if you will put up 
the money I will ride the old nag and make her go her best. 



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“But remember, if I put up the money,” said Nell, “and 
you beat the race, come out ahead, I will get the prize 
money, not you. 

“But if you put up the money, I wont mind riding her to 
the finish, and if I come out ahead, you will be the gainer 
by five hundred dollars, which is the stake advertized.” 

“Never mind about the stake or the five hundred dollars; 
I aint got any money to loose; I’d rather do the riding,” 
answered the farmer. 

So, everything being satisfactory, they all mounted 
their horses, the old countryman taking possession of Bell, 
or what he supposed to be his old nag. 

He was the last one to mount, having examined her as 
was his custom, he put his hand on her mouth to open 
it, but as he touched her, Bell opened it as wide as possible 
so that he could see all the way down her throat; she then 
struck out her tongue, the whole length, and when the 
farmer had had a good look, she closed her mouth with 
a snap, and said, “How do you like it, old hay-seed; does 
my breath smell bad?” 

“What’s that? Who spoke? I will be ‘goll fetched/ 
if that old nag o’ mine aint done gone to talking. 

“Well, she must be possessed of the devil. I am certainly 
glad that this is the last time I have to ride you; my old 
woman gives me enough chin music at home without my 
old horse’s keeping it up on the road. 

“Gee-lang, you tarnel critter, when he was on her back, 
gee-lang, keep up with your betters; you will never win 
the race at this rate,” as he spurred her along, to catch up 
with the rest, who had gotten quite a little distance ahead. 

But Bell slowed up on purpose so the old man, who 


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didn't want to loose the trade, kept on storming at her, 
but it was of no avail; finally he dimounted and went to 
some bushes that grew by the roadside, got out his jack- 
knife and cut him a long switch, holding Bell by the bridle 
all the time. 

“Now, goll darn ye! we'll see who will move the fastest, 
you or I; but he no sooner had gotten on her back, then 
Bell gave a certain jerk with her head, which made the old 
man loose his grasp of the bridle rein, and before he could 
make use of the whip, she sped down the road like the 
wind. 

It nearly took his breath away, he was so astonished; 
she went so fast that he had to put his arms around her 
neck and hold on like grim death. 

In a few seconds she caught up with the others, sped 
past them like a hurricane; all they could hear was the 
pickardy, pickardy, pickardy of the horse's feet, and the 
“haw-haw you brute," until he was out of sight. 

The men, who were with Nell, did not know what to make 
of it, they were so taken by surprise. 

“I didn't think that old stack of bones could go like that! 

That old horse has gone mad." 

“The devil's in the brute"; were the remarks made. 

Nell did'nt say anything, only smiled; she knew the 
horse better than they did. 

When they arrived at the gates they found quite a crowd 
collected around our countryman. Every one was guying 
him. “Put her up old man? She'll beat the record. What's 
her pedigree? What name are you going to enter her in?" 
and all kinds of questions were put to him, nearly dis- 
tracting him. 


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He got out his red bandana handkerchief and was 
mopping the perspiration from his face and was really 
glad when friends came up, to whom he could pour out his 
complaints. He vociferated that he did’nt know what to 
make of that critter; she never acted that way before. 

The very old scratch had got into her, for before he got 
a switch she would’nt go worth a cent, and when he did 
get one, and before he could use it and get hold of the reins, 
she went off like a gun with a double load in her; and he’d be 
goll-blasted if he’d ride her any more, that nearly every bone 
in his body felt like they were shook out of their sockets. 

When Nell, whom we will call a man, heard this remark, 
he stepped up and told the old man he would have to put 
up the money then and that he, Nell, would ride her. 

The countryman protested he did’nt have the money 
to enter her name on the list. 

Every one burst out laughing and thought Nell was 
joking; others ridiculed the idea of that bony old horse 
contesting for the prize; the man at the box, when he was 
told of it, said that he wasn’t going to have any mock 
riding on his race-track. 

Then a pompous individual stepped up to Nell and in- 
formed him that if he had any money to loose he would 
go him fifty to one; or, in other words, he would bet him 
as many fifty dollars as Nell would bet single dollars; 
that he, Nell, would be the last one in on the home stretch. 

Now as Nell was’nt going to back out, he told the great 
horseman that he would take him up. 

He pulled out a wallet, counted out fifty dollars and 
gave it to the countryman, instructing him to put it up, 
which he at once tried to do. 



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Now this grand race-horseman, who was a regular gam- 
bler, was looking out for just such snaps; he owned several 
horses, and fine ones at that, which were already listed; 
he thought it wouldn’t be any trouble at all to win the 
fifty dollars from Nell by putting up fifty times as much 
as a lure. 

He persuaded the man at the box office to enter the name 
of our countryman’s horse, which he said was Sally, after 
his wife. 

All the horses were now entered and the race was about to 
commence. 

Nell took Bell around to the starting point, where there 
were already eight or ten horses ready for the race. 

All were looking glossy and beautiful from the careful 
grooming they had received for the occasion. 

Their riders, regular jockeys in red, blue, yellow and 
white shirts and caps, stood by their horses, who were 
prancing around, really couldn’t stand still a moment, so 
anxious were they for to start. 

Bell, when Nell brought her around, hung down her head 
and made out that she was hungry, tried to nibble the 
grass. 

At the look of her a roar of laughter went up from the 
crowd. 

One or two looked at her with disgust, but Nell didn’t 
mind them; he waited until all had mounted their horses, 
and when the signal was given to go, he quietly got on his 
horse and told Bell to go, which she certainly did, as only 
a fairy horse could. 

She soon distanced four, five, six horses in the first 
round and was catching up with the others. 


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The people hallooed, “Go it Sally! Look! Look! Sally 
has passed another one! and another one! 

Our pompous horseman began to look blue. His jaws 
fell, for his horses were left behind, and there were but 
two more just a little ahead of Sally. 

Look! look! one of the horses falls and his rider goes 
over his head; now there was only one more. 

They yelled, cheered, roared, hallooed, laughed, when 
Bell stuck her tail streight up in the air and whinnied f 
Nell made a jump and stood up, then quickly turned in the 
saddle with his back to the horse’s head, just then she 
passed the last horse, and Nell put his finger to his nose, 
and made the sign of ridicule to the horse following, which 
was doing his level best. 

Everybody yelled. One, two, three more lengths, and 
Bell had won. 

The gong struck. The other horses were six, twenty, 
and fifty yards behind. 

Then there was a hubbub; every one wanted to become 
acquainted with Nell. 

But Nell did not care for notoriety, he only walked over 
to the old countryman and gave him an order to collect 
the stakes and prize-money, and told him he was now 
welcome to the horse he traded for, which, if you remember, 
was his horse all the time; then Nell took Bell and they 
were seen going through the gates and down the roadf 
lastly, they entered a body of woods and disappeared. 

FOURTH PART 

Bell and Nell, with all their mischievousness, were really 
not wicked fairies. 


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When they were not up to mischief they would do things 
that were really kind, and the beauty of it was, that the 
parties to whom they did the kindness never found out or 
realized who did it. 

Christmas time was approaching. Lots of people, espe- 
cially the rich, were making great preparations for the 
coming event. 

Already the stores were putting on extra decorations of 
holly and evergreens. 

Everywhere you looked you could see a display of toys, 
fancy goods, fireworks and every imaginable thing to be 
desired for Christmas presents. Rich and poor alike could 
be seen looking in the windows, admiring the many pretty 
things displayed there. 

The poor, with longing eyes, never expecting to own 
one of the many things shown; others, those in good cir- 
cumstances, looking and contemplating what they should 
select for their especial benefit, knowing that all they had 
to do was to mention what they would like to have and their 
wishes would be granted by their many rich friends. 

It was several evenings before Christmas: our two fairies 
were around amusing themselves looking at the different 
people buying presents to carry home and be the Santa 
Claus for their children. 

Here went one man, his overcoat pockets stuffed with 
doll babies and firecrackers, with bundles of candy and 
nuts under one arm, a goat wagon under the other, fol- 
lowed by a great big fat woman with a basket loaded with 
good things. 

As they crossed the street, they passed by two young 
ladies who had their arm full of bundles. 



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Then presently there came along a whole troop of boys 
with big tin horns making an unearthly noise blowing them. 

Here came along a blue coated policeman slinging his 
club, then a finely dressed man in a greatcoat and high 
hat, then some more women with baskets, and so on. 

Now' and then there was a mishap, when some one ran 
against some one else and dropped his bundle, causing 
quite a commotion. 

Sometimes a friend would meet a friend and shake hands 
and talk a moment, but had to hurry along, and so the 
panorama kept moving; the streets could not be blocked 
by persons stopping to converse at this busy time. 

“Our fairies saw all this.” Says Bell to Nell: “Our time is 
nearly up on this earth; come! let’s play Santa Claus”? 
“All right”; says Nell, “what shall we do?” 

“Let’s go down to those two houses on that avenue. 
You can see that large fine residence with the marble porch 
and the beautiful lawn, and that little cottage with the 
vines running up in front. 

“We will take a peep into the windows of each and see 
what they are doing inside; then we can make our prepara- 
tions.” 

Now I want to tell you that in the big fine house there 
lived quite a number of persons. 

Judge Parham, his wife and six children, with gover- 
nesses, maids, butler, cooks and other servants, besides 
the man who took care of the horses, and several others. 

In the little house across the way there were only three, 
a poor widow and her two children, a boy and a girl. 

Mrs. Burnett at one time was well to do when her 
husband was living; he was in the army and was supposed 


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to have lost his life in a battle in the Phillipines, for they 
never heard from him after he left home. 

Mrs. Burnett was left in straitened circumstances. 

The little cottage, and a small pension paid quarterly, 
was all she had, but being very economical, the family 
managed to subsist. 

In former times she lived in the large house now occupied 
by the great Judge Parham, but on account of some flaw 
in the title and the deed being lost, the property was 
claimed, after her husband’s supposed death, by other 
parties, and she had to give it up, retaining only the little 
cottage, in which they lived; that was her own individual 
property left her by an old aunt some years previous. 

Now I want you to know that the judge and his people 
thought themselves a great deal better than their poor 
neighbors, the Burnetts. 

As was their custom at Christmas time, they were going 
to have a big feast and Christmas tree, to which all of their 
friends were to be invited. 

One little daughter of the judge, whose name was Bertha, 
was the only one who had the consideration to think of the 
poor widow and her children across the way. 

She mentioned the matter of invitation to her mother, 
saying “how nice it would be to have them over and see 
their pleasure”; but her mother said it would never do, 
they would be quite out of place, that her sisters and bro- 
thers would not agree to her plan; that her papa would not 
like it either; so little Bertha had to give it up. 

She was very sorry, too, for she liked Mrs. Burnett’s two 
little children, Rosa and Alfred, and when the opportunity 
presented itself she ran over and told them. 


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Mrs. Burnett told her not to mind it, for they could not 
go anyhow, as their clothes were not nice enough to wear 
in such fine company, perhaps Santa Claus would come to 
see them, too. 

Nevertheless, Bertha said she was going to bring them 
some of her pretty things to play with. 

But where were our two fairies all this time? You would 
never think. 

They were right in mischief all the time. They soon 
found out who was who, and what was what; and how 
do you think they found it out? Here is what they did: 
when night came on, they changed themselves into two 
little mice; during the day they transformed themselves 
into two lovely white French poodle dogs and in the latter 
shape they made bold to enter either house, Nell going into 
the Burnetts, and Bell into the Parhams. 

At both places they were well received. 

Oh! what a lovely dog. Bertha just took possession of 
Bell, hugged and caressed her; and Bell was very much 
pleased with her mistress, as also was Nell with Rosa at 
the Burnetts. 

Now Bell and Nell had a mission to accomplish and were 
watching for an opportunity to make a lark of it, the chance 
soon came. 

One bundle after another was deposited at the judge’s 
house, and every chance Bell had she managed to take 
first one thing and then another. 

A pretty doll, a picture book, an album, or whatever 
came handy, she took it in her mouth and carried it away 
up under the roof of the house and hid it where no one 
would be apt to find it. 



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Finally some of the things were missed. The judge and 
his wife and the older ones of the family could not account 
for the disappearance of the things. 

One blamed the other, consequently they watched each 
other, and still the things were spirited away. Now a 
book, then a gold watch, a bracelet or a neck chain, but 
nothing that was intended for Bertha was disturbed; 
consequently in time their suspicions were directed to 
Bertha and her friends, and no one ever thought Bell had 
anything to do with it. 

But Bell, as a dog, was very sly; if the things were locked 
up, she would wait until night; then, as a mouse, would 
get into the pocket where the keys were kept, steal the 
key and unlock the drawer, then change again to a dog, 
pull open the drawer, get the desired article and relock 
the drawer, and, as a mouse, replace the key. 

When night came on and every one was asleep, our two 
fairies would meet, and, as little mice, do a lot of damage, 
cut little holes in some things they could not move; all 
over the house things were mutilated with the intention of 
spoiling the big feast; and with all their mischievousness 
they kept looking for a certain paper, Bell at the judge’s 
and Nell at the Burnetts. 

Every time they met one would ask the other, “Have 
you found it yet”? 

But lo! and behold! one night Bell found a funny little 
key in a small crack in the bottom of a great big clock, 
which was standing in the hallway at the judge’s house. 

It was one of those big old-fashioned clocks that reached 
from the floor to the ceiling, and no one had ever bothered 
to move it since the Burnetts left the house. 



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The clock had big wings on each side that answered for a 
hat and cloak rack, and it was fastened to the wall. 

A large mirror was incased below the dial. 

At the bottom of the clock was a large box with arms 
which answered for a seat. 

The interior of the box held the weights, being on each 
side, a musical arrangement was in the center, which, 
when wound up, would play several tunes. 

In this box Bell found a tiny key, which was in the shape 
of a cross. 

Bell took the key over to Nell, who had some information 
in regard to a transaction in which the key played an 
important part. 

Nell, who, as a dog and a mouse, rummaged all over the 
Burnett’s house, looked in every hole and corner of the 
cottage, from the basement to the roof, found nothing to 
interest her but one thing. 

In an old leather-covered trunk, which had been cast 
aside as a receptable for old rags and other rubbish, and 
which she was allowed to use for a bed when she got tired 
and wanted to rest and sleep. 

In nosing around the bottom of the trunk she spied a 
peculiar keyhole in one corner; it aroused her curiosity, 
and she couldn’t rest until she found a key to unlock it. 
So she at every chance found first one key then another 
and tried them in the keyhole, but not one she tried would 
fit; in despair she concluded to ask Bell to assist her to get 
some keys from the judge’s house; jut then Bell came in 
and told her what she had found. 

Oh! they couldn’t wait a minute; helter skelter they went 
in haste to where the old trunk was, tried the key in the 


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lock, and wonderful! it fitted, but when Nell tried to turn 
the key it refused to move. 

Bell tried with the same success, so they tried together; 
one caught hold of one of the arms of the cross and the 
other caught tight hold of the other, one pulling one way 
and the other the reverse; the key finally turned in the 
lock, the bottom of the trunk flew up, and the dogs both 
quickly jumped out, then looked in. 

And what do you suppose they saw? A sealed envelope, 
you would say; “No.” A sheet of paper with writing on 
it? “No.” Guess again? — but you can keep on guessing, 
you would never think or guess what the false bottom of 
the trunk contained. 

Not to keep you in suspense I am going to tell you what 
it was. 

Nothing but a common palm-leaf fan. 

“Yes,” one of those common fans that can be bought 
for a few pennies. 

Old and yellow, and dusty from age. 

Bell and Nell felt very foolish when they saw that was all; 
they examined the bottom well, took out the fan, looked 
it all over closely, then put it back in the trunk, but forgot 
to close the bottom again. 

The next day was Christmas eve. Mrs. Burnett had to 
go down the street to make a few purchases. 

She did not have much money to spare, for it took a 
good deal of her pension money to buy medicine and 
nourishing food for herself; she had been quite sick for some 
time and was just getting able to do a little work; therefore, 
she had to be very economical in what she bought. 


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The weather had turned quite cold and a drizzling rain 
had set in which looked as if it would keep up for some time. 

The air was raw and chilly. 

On her way she was considering whether she could 
afford to buy Rosa a cloak and her son an overcoat, when 
some one jostled her; she was so muffled up in a warm 
comforter that she did not pay much attention to it at the 
time. 

The gentleman, however, apologized and went on, and 
the sound of his voice disturbed her very much; but she 
soon forgot it, her thoughts were of her children, of what 
she should buy them with her limited means. 

Meanwhile during the absence of her mother, Rosa 
happened to go up in the loft to look for some rags or 
pieces to help make her a baby quilt, when wonders, she 
looked into the old trunk and saw the double bottom 
and the old fan. 

She thought it was awfully funny that she had never 
noticed this before; nevertheless, she took out the old 
fan with the intention of showing it to her mother on her 
return. 

Over at the Parhams big preparations were going on; 
every now and then some wagon stopped to deliver Christ- 
mas things. 

Bell and Nell were not idle either, they were having 
a good time, as you will hear later. 

At last the much wished-for time came, the day, the hour, 
everything seemed to be ready, and about eight o’clock the 
guests began to arrive; at twelve o’clock they all with one 
accord assembled in the big reception room to make merry 
over the Christmas tree. 



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Suddenly, without warning, the large mirror, fastened 
on one side of the room, fell with a crash and broke into a 
thousand pieces. 

Every one was thunder struck. The jar it caused shook 
the room so that two thirds of the crystal ornaments that 
were hanging on the tree fell and were broken. 

The servants were hastily summoned to clear up the 
rubbish and restore the room to order, and the guests 
betook themselves to the library to view the presents. 

To the surprise of everybody each present they took up 
to look at was damaged. 

Some had pieces broken off, some were dented, some 
had holes in them, parts of others were missing; not a 
single present was faultless, except those intended for 
Bertha. 

Everyone was astounded; some remarked that it looked 
as if there had been a sale of fire damaged goods some- 
where. 

The judge began to lose his temper, for a valuable 
meerschaum pipe someone had sent him for a present, had 
a piece knocked off. 

His wife’s new sealskin cloak that he had bought for 
nearly a hundred dollars had a big round hole eaten out of 
the back. 

A fine violin that cost a lot of money and was intended 
for his son, when taken out of the case had a piece gnawed 
out the back. 

All this created quite an uproar; someone proposed 
music for a change; then, would you believe it? when one 
of the ladies began to play on the piano, string after string 
snapped; everything went wrong. 


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Pretty soon they all went into the dining room for 
refreshments, and when all were seated, the judge proposed 
a toast, saying, “Dear friends, I hope you will not censure 
us for what has happened here to-night. 

“We really cannot imagine what has caused all this 
trouble. 

“It's a mystery, nevertheless, let us make merry, all the 
things broken and ruined we are perfectly able to replace, 
as long as I own this house. 

“There will be nothing to prevent our having a good 
time. 

“Fill up your glasses with the sparkling wine and let us 
drink, hoping we shall meet again another Christmas with 
the assurance that this trouble will not happen again.” 

At the conclusion of his remarks, all put their glasses 
to their lips; some gulped down, some tried to vomit, some 
spluttered and coughed; you never saw such a sickly 
looking crowd in your life. 

How quinine and castor oil and alum managed to get into 
the wine, no one ever found out. 

The judge was the sickest of all; he had filled a big 
tumbler full and the oil had gotten all over his big mustache 
and beard and white vest. 

Everyone called for water, soap, towels — anything to get 
rid of the disagreeable taste. 

Some grabbed fruit off the table, bit into it, and were 
rewarded with a taste of cayenne pepper, which set their 
mouths afire. 

Things began to get hot as the pepper burned. 

Water! water! the cry was water! The big cut-glass 
pitcher on the table was soon emptied. 


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Oh! my! the water was so salty! 

At this juncture the servants came with the report that 
the water was shut off, something was the matter with the 
pipe. 

Gradually the lights grew dim, and the smell of gas 
invaded the room; everyone began running about from 
room to room looking for water in the dark. 

The judge stormed at the servants, his wife at her maids, 
the children cried; finally lamps were brought and lit. 

Such a mess you never saw. 

During the darkness and confusion Bell and Nell had 
not been idle; here was a sofa with the seat torn up; the 
turkey and meats on the table were not cut with a knife; 
it looked as if dogs had been at work on them. 

The dressing was found on every chair seat, the fine 
dishes did not present a beautiful appearance; they looked 
as if some one had poked into them with a big stick; and 
during all this confusion the music-box in the hall clock 
played tune after tune, such as “Home sweet Home,” 
“Come ye that love the Lord, let all your joys be known.” 

After things quieted down somewhat the guests called 
for their carriages and went home; they had enough of that 
feast. 

The judge and his wife were very much mortified, but 
did not know whom to blame. 

No one knew who did the tricks; only Bell and Nell, 
who were still at work as mice, gnawing away at the 
picture cords and lace curtains, doing damage everywhere 
they could. 

Next morning all the gates were open, the horses were 
walking about the streets. 


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The judge could not find his trousers. 

One of his boots had a lot of jelly in it, and the other a 
fried chicken; when he began to pull them on he also began 
to swear. 

His wife, who woke up just then, exclaimed, “What’s 
the matter dear”? just then the bed gave way, and she 
with the bed fell ker-plunk on the floor, and the judge 
had to extricate her from the bedclothes while trying to 
kick off the jelly-filled boot. 

Just then the oldest daughter came to the door to inform 
her mother that the water-pipe had sprung a leak, and that 
the lower floor would make a good swimming pool. 

The judge, after rummaging around a while for another 
pair of trousers, got dressed. 

He did not notice the long rip in the seat of the nether 
garment and the tear in the sleeve of his coat; others did, 
though, for as he started down the back stairs his neighbor 
next door wanted to know when he got home last night 
and who he got into a row with? 

It was sometime before everything was brought back to 
order in the judge’s household. 

Our fairies knew how to spoil their pleasure. 

And how about the Burnetts, you will ask? Well, when 
Mrs. Burnett got home from shopping they had supper. 

Next morning Rosa told her mother about the secret 
bottom to the old trunk and how nothing but a fan was 
found in it; and woul’nt it have been nice if instead of the 
fan there had been the lost deed? what a fine Christmas we 
could have had, and so forth. 

Mrs. Burnett shook her head and said: “Rosa, dear, a 
fine house and fine clothes do not always make you happy; 


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but if the missing ones could come back, how much happi- 
ness that would bring.” 

While she was talking, Bell and Nell, who were in the 
room set up a barking, for someone knocked at the door) 
both children ran to the door and who should be there 
but the one-armed soldier who jostled Mrs. Burnett on 
the street the night before. 

“Can you give a poor old soldier something to eat? my 
dear children,” he exclaimed; but before he could say any- 
thing more their mother lay weeping on his shoulder. 

It was their long lost father whom they all thought 
dead. 

Oh! what a joyful time they had; and when Mrs. Burnett 
told him how they were dispossessed of their fine home, 
all on account of the deed being lost and how they had to 
live to make ends meet, Mr. Burnett was very much sur- 
prised, and said: “Why did’nt you look in our old trunk? 
I put the deed there in the handle of an old palm-leaf fan 
and placed between the two bottoms; the key I left in the 
old clock in the hall in the big house. 

I wrote you all about it 

“I never received a line,” explained Mrs. Burnett, “and 
we mourned you for dead.” 

Then Mr. Burnett told of how long he had been sick in 
a hospital, and of how his arm came to be off, and a lot more. 

“But how are we going to get the key from over the 
judge’s”? 

Rosa ran to get the fan, but could not find it. 

She hunted all over the house; then her mother, brother 
and father all joined in the search, but no fan could be 
found. 


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Oh! it was too bad! 

Then Rosa thought of the two dogs, Bell and Nell. 

It was Christmas morning, the sun was shining, every- 
thing looked bright and Rosa, without loss of time, went to 
look for the dogs. 

She quietly slipped over to the judge’s, and just as she 
had thought, they were in the yard gamboling and racing 
each other, Bell having the fan in her mouth and Nell 
trying to get it from her. 

Rosa called and called, but in vain; finally Bertha came 
out of the house and she and Rosa chased them all over the 
lawn, until they were completely out of breath. 

At last the fairies had compassion on Rosa and brought 
her the fan. 

Just then the judge made his appearance, and he wasn’t 
in the best of humor, and gruffly demanded of Bertha 
whether she couldn’t find any other playmates but poor 
common people’s children? 

He then asked Rosa what business she had over here, and 
she, with some spirit, replied to his insult that she was 
only after her own property, and had more right here 
than he had, as this fan she had would soon convince him, 
and that if they were poor, that did not make them any more 
common than he was; that poverty was no crime, but there 
never yet was any excuse for rudeness and insult, and that 
if she ever got rich, she would know how to treat people 
decently; with that she went home, our two fairies following 
her. 

Oh! what rejoicing there was when Ros’s father extracted 
the deed from the hollow handle of the fan; and how bad 
the judge and his people felt when they were notified to 


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vacate the fine house that the Burnetts might occupy it! 

Our two fairies, as the old year drew to a close, knew 
that their time was up and they had to go back to their 
fairyland. 

To compensate Rosa for the trouble they caused her 
in getting the fan they changed from dogs into two beautiful 
birds and flew homewards, leaving two other dogs in their 
place. 

The dogs remained and lived with Rosa in their fine home. 
Bertha, when grown, frequently came to see Rosa and 
Alfred, who would take them out in his automobile. 


Jennie’s Dream 


was Mrs. Knowland, Jennie’s mother, |who 
one day said to her daughter, “I do declare, 
Jennie! it is too bad! this is the third place 
you have been to and were dismissed; and 
all the reason I can get, is that you don’t 
suit; and I need your financial help so much. 

“We are getting worse off every day; you being the 
oldest, I certainly thought I could count on some, and that 
with Fred’s help, and what I can earn by my sewing we 
could manage to live and let Mary go to school a little 
longer. 

“As for the mortgage on the place, that can wait; Mr. 
Brown won’t push that so long as we pay the interest.” 

Mrs. Knowland was left a widow when her youngest 
child, Henry, was six years old; her husband, who was a 
brick mason, came to an untimely death by falling from a 
scaffold. 

He left her with a home mortgaged and payments un- 
finished at the time of his death. 

They were a happy family of six, when the fatal accident 
occurred. 

Of the children there were four, as mentioned before; 
Jennie the oldest, sixteen; then Fred, just fourteen; he 
had started to work at a factory. 

Henry and Mary, aged ten and eight years, respectively. 

Jennie was a good girl, but had a habit of carelessness, 
which somehow she found hard to overcome. 

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With a sob she told her mother not to worry, she would 
try for another place; that it had looked from the start 
as if she would be unable to please Mrs. Cox, who was 
very exacting; perhaps in the next place she might get 
she would be more able to please; with that she went out 
into the little garden in the rear of the house and sat down 
in a shady nook, when drowsiness overcame her, and she 
fell asleep. 


SECOND PART 

The Kitchen Revolt 

“Oh! I’m so nervous standing on the edge of the table/’ 
said the Lamp, “why could’nt that girl put me on my ac- 
customed place on the shelf before she went away. 

“I am so afraid that I shall get knocked off, and 
broken. 

“I do wish that someone may come who will take better 
care of us.” 

“Yes,” said the Sideboard, “look at my dirty face, she 
did not even brush me off. 

“And left me wrong side up,” said the Broom. 

“Don’t talk,” said the Waiter, “she forgot me entirely, 
and left all the dirty dishes on me.” 

“You have’nt all the dirty dishes,” remarked the Towel, 
“the dishpan is filled with a lot of them, too.” 

“If she keeps her bed as clean as she does us,” spoke up 
the Kettle and Dishpan, “I pity the sheets and pillows.” 

“Say! I wish someone would take me out of this water 
before I melt”! exclaimed the soap. 

“You need not worry; you can stay awhile yet where 
you are. Any time will do to remove us,” said the Ashpan. 



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“Listen to the Kettle, he don’t sing at all, he is too empty 
like myself,” remarked the stove. 

“My! how dirty I am”! shouted the Mirror. 

“I am, too,” said the Washstand, “I need cleaning too, 
so you need not make a fuss. 

“No one can see you all from the outside unless the door 
opens.” 

“I know I am dirty enough,” said the window. 

“I’ll tell you what we will do,” suggested the Table, “we 
will organize a surprise party and give our last girl a 
demonstration. I’ll lead the procession.” 

“All right”! they all exclaimed, and with the table 
leading, then the chairs, next the window and broom, 
with the dirty towel, as a flag, washstand, mirror, dishpan, 
lamp, forks and knives and spoons, plates and dishes, 
ashpan, kettle and stove. 

In the rear came the sideboard, towel rack, washtubs, 
flatirons on top of the ironing-board. 

All halted when they came to Jennie, still fast asleep in 
the garden. 

Such a racket they made; the lamp spilled the oil all over 
her dress, the ashpan dumped ashes on her, the dish pan 
hurled the dishes at her, which bobbed around her head, 
the broom waved the towel at her, encouraging the demon- 
stration, and such a hubbub as the stove, chairs, table and 
safe caused, dancing around her, and now and then giving 
her a punch. 

The teakettle, dishpan and waiter set up such an un- 
earthly din by banging against each other, trying to get 
to her that at last she awoke with a start. 


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“Oh! what an awful dream! Now, I see where I made a 
big mistake, I see that I did not do my duty. 

“I must have been lazy, if I should get another trial 
I would certainly try and do better. 

“The dream certainly was vivid, great goodness! how that 
table walked on its legs, and everything seemed to have 
legs! I certainly would not like to dream it over again. 

PART THREE 

“Jennie, come here quick,” she heard her mother call, 
“here is a note from Mrs. Cox saying you must come back 
right away, that she would try you a while longer, that 
perhaps after you get more used to her ideas you may be 
able to give her satisfaction — and do, my child, be very 
careful to keep everything tidy and nice in the kitchen, 
and do not neglect doing your duty, for I feel confident 
Mrs. Cox will treat you well.” 

So Jennie went back and a different girl she proved; she 
never forgot her dream, for everything seemed to speak to 
her; she became so neat and tidy that she turned out a 
model housekeeper. 

And now, my children, be careful that your sleep will not 
be disturbed by dreams censuring you for the things you 
neglected while awake. It certainly helped Jennie. 


Polly’s Cat 


U WILL be surprised at the story I am 
going to tell you now. 

You will ask is it a fairy story? 

No! Yes! it is both. 

Is it a true story? It may be and still 
it may not, you can judge of that for your- 
self. 

It is about a wonderful cat; “Polly’s Cat.” 

First, I am going to tell you who Polly was. 

Polly was a little girl who lived with her uncle and aunt 
far out in the country, a long way from a railroad station 
or river; right in among the mountains. Her aunt, who 
was an old maid, hated cats and dogs and pets in general; 
really she did not possess any herself, therefore did not 
like others to have any. 

Polly’s uncle was an old bachelor, an old man who never 
had married, and did not care anything for children, and 
less for cats. 

His name was Gumbolt, and everybody called him 
“Grumm,” for he never laughed, he always had a grum 
look on his face. 

Her aunt’s name was Saphira, and people called her 
“Snapfire.” 

When the neighbors were met by strangers and asked 
about them, they would almost always say, “Oh! yes! we 
know who lives in that old brick house with the slate roof 
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and dormer windows among those trees, its old ‘Grum and 
Snapfire.’ ” 

“Are those their right names?” would be asked. 

“Oh! no! we call them so because they are not at all 
sociable, they snap us up when we call on them, and let us 
understand that our company is not desired, that we had 
better stay at home and attend to our business.” 

“Do they live all by themselves?” 

“Well, yes; all with the exception of a little girl, a sister’s 
child, who is an orphan, but they don’t care much for her; 
just tolerate her, make her work for her keep, and hardly 
ever let her visit any one.” 

“I know she has a hard time between them, not much 
pleasure certainly.” So now you know who Polly is. 

Polly was a good little girl, never gave her uncle and 
aunt a cross word; it didn’t make any difference to her how 
surly her aunt looked, nor how crabishly her uncle spoke, 
she took it all with a good grace and never became fretful 
or angry. 

She made pets of the chickens, the cow, pigs and geese, 
even the big turkey gobbler would eat out of her hands. 

One day, it was an awful cold day in January, the ground 
was covered with snow; she had just finished washing the 
breakfast dishes. 

It was Sunday morning, her uncle had lighted his pipe 
and was sitting behind the stove smoking; her aunt, who 
had just come in from the other rooms where she had 
been making up the beds, said: “Good sakes!” its cold 
enough to freeze icicles! Polly, go out to the woodshed 
and bring in some wood, and be careful to brush the snow 
off it before you bring it in, and hurry about it, too, you 


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lazy, good-for-nothing thing! you’ve been long enough 
washing those dishes to wear my patience! do you know 
what time it is? people are passing by going to church; 
a crazy set of fools to be plodding through the snow to 
hear an old fogy preach. 

“I never could understand how it is that one man can 
work on the brains of so many, to dispose them to hear 
him jabber, something he makes up to entertain them; I 
for one shan’t be taken in by no such humbug.” 

“Aunty! they say that he speaks God’s word, and it is 
not every one that can do that, can you?” 

“Shut up! what do you know about it? next thing you 
will go to preaching, and I have no doubt there would be 
plenty of fools that would listen to you, too.” 

Polly took a basket and went out to the woodshed to 
bring in some wood; when she got there and had her basket 
nearly filled, she, all at once, heard a low mew-ow. 

She looked all around, but could not see from where the 
sound came. 

Suddenly she heard it again; it came from behind the 
wood. 

So she tiptoed around the woodpile and looked again, 
and right there among the wood on the ground was a 
great big black cat with a little bit of a kitten, also jet 
black with little blue eyes. 

“Poor thing,” Polly said, “I believe you are hungry and 
nearly frozen, I wonder what cruel person dropped you 
here, for I know if Uncle Gumbolt was to see you he would 
make short work of you; I must do something to keep him 
from finding you.” With that she quickly filled her 
basket with wood, ran into the house, deposited it in the 


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117 


kitchen, then ran up into the attic, got an old coat, stole 
back into the kitchen and took some scraps of meat, hurried 
out to the woodshed and made a comfortable bed behind 
the wood for the cat and kitten, and left the food for them, 
telling them to be sure and be very quiet if they did not 
want to die. 

It was her intention to steal a chance to carry them 
up into the attic, where she could keep them without being 
found out. 

Secretly that night she did do so, without her uncle and 
aunt being any wiser, and for two weeks she kept them 
hidden. 

To feed them she had to save little scraps of meat and 
bread, now and then she left her milk untasted so that she 
could give it to her secret pets. 

Oh! what a nice time she had when she went up to the 
attic to bed, how she snuggled them up to her and stroked 
their soft fur. 

But, sad to say, one morning when she rose and dressed 
and took a peep at her pets, what do you think? the old 
mother cat was dead. 

How she died and what caused her death, Polly was 
unable to tell, perhaps it was poison, for she remembered 
her aunt remarking one day, “I shall certainly fix for those 
mice and rats; a trap is too expensive, I shall use Paris 
green, that will fix them.” 

It was not certain, however, that it was Paris green that 
killed the old cat, but dead she was; stiff dead; but the 
kitten was all right. 

Polly took the poor little thing up and carried it to her 
bed and wrapped it up to keep it warm, and took the old 


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cat by the tail and carried it out to the back yard; it was 
her intention to dig a grave for her. Unfortunately her 
Uncle Grum happened to come by, and seeing the cat 
remarked, “I wonder who it was that dropped that blamed 
cat on my place?” 

“Here Polly!” he called, “take that crittur, dig a hole 
and bury it.” 

So Polly had her way after all. 

Polly’s kitten did not die, for she kept it and tendered 
it carefully, fed it with milk and bread, and kept it in the 
attic until the whole of January, February and March had 
passed. 

She taught it all kinds of tricks, such as sitting on its 
hind legs and patting her fore feet, begging, lying down and 
playing dead, stand on its head, jumping through a hoop, 
skipping a rope, climbing and sliding down a pole, walking 
on a tight rope and lots of other funny things. 

The kitten had grown wonderfully, both in size and 
sense. 

One day Polly’s uncle and aunt told her they were going 
to take a trip to town and would not be back until the 
following day, that a big circus had arrived there, and 
everyone far and near was going to see it. 

Polly begged them to take her along, but they would not 
listen to her, informed her that she would have to stay at 
home and attend to the cow, pigs and chickens. 

Polly cried, but after a bit consoled herself with the 
thought that she would have a good time with her kitten 
while they were away. 

The kitten, which had now grown to a good sized cat, 
was such a beautiful animal, in color a jet, glossy black 


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119 


with great big yellow eyes and a long bushy tail, and so 
well trained by Polly that whatever she was told to do by 
her mistress she would do. 

When Polly saw her uncle and aunt drive away out of 
sight she went up stairs and called her Blacky, for that 
was what she named her kitten, she came running to her, 
and she took her in her arms and said: “Good old Black, 
I am going to give you a treat and let you see the green 
grass and the blue sky and sunshine!” 

Oh! what a nice time she had racing and romping around 
with her. 

They strolled out into the field, then into the road, until 
it was nearly noon, and after taking out her lunch they sat 
down beneath a tree near the roadside to enjoy it, the cat 
especially, for this was the first time she had ever eaten 
outside of the attic room. 

Polly, after so much exercise in the open air, became 
drowsy, and before she knew it, had fallen asleep with 
Blacky curled up in her lap. 

While they were sleeping a covered wagon came along 
driven by two big horses. 

On a high seat in front sat a man with the reins in his 
hand driving the team. 

He stopped the horses in front of Polly and looked at 
her, then turned and spoke to someone in the wagon, who 
answered him. 

Then he got down and entered the back of the wagon, and 
a woman who was inside gave him a shawl. 

He silently crept over to Polly and put it over her head, 
then lifted her up and quickly carried her to the wagon 
and put her in. 



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Blacky followed his mistress to the wagon, and before 
the man could shut the door, jumped in, too. 

Now Polly, who had been asleep, and who had been so 
suddenly awakened, was too surprised to cry out, and 
when she did begin to cry, the woman told her to keep 
quiet, that they knew all about her, how hard she had to 
work and how badly she had been treated, that they were 
traveling far away and wanted to take her with them and 
adopt her as their own daughter, and dress her in beautiful 
clothes and give her a gold watch and chain and a string of 
pearls to wear around her neck, and lots of other pretty 
things. 

Polly asked her if she would let her keep her cat, too, 
and the woman said, “What do you want with a cat?” 

“Cause she is cute and can do so many tricks.” 

“Well! we’ll see, just keep quiet, my dear, and if anyone 
asks you who you are, tell them you belong to us, that’s 
me and my husband, for we have no little child and want 
to keep you for our own.” 

Polly enjoyed the ride in the big traveling van; and so 
they traveled on and on until it was quite dark, when 
they entered a big city. 

On looking out of the little window in the wagon she could 
see a lot of lights and people walking on the streets, some- 
thing she had never seen before; so she just sat down 
contented with Blacky in her lap, until the wagon came 
to a stop and the man opened the door and said, “All 
right!” 

They all then got out, the woman put a wrap around 
Polly, and they ascended a flight of steps to a fine house, 
and entered a finely furnished beautiful room, brilliantly 


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illuminated with the dazzling lights of a handsome chande- 
lier. 

After a while the man came in and they went into another 
room in which a table was set with every nice thing to eat; 
bread, meat, milk, even oranges, apples, nuts and candy. 

You will ask, did Polly enjoy herself? 

It was such a treat, she felt as if she were in a fairyland. 

Blacky hovered around her, and while they were eating, 
sat on her hind legs and begged. 

When the man saw her he said, “Hello! what’s this? 
Look here, Moll, this cat is trained, did you train her, little 
girl? by-the-way, what is your name?” 

“Polly,” she answered. 

“Well Polly, you are something, can she do anything else?” 

“Oh! yes sir! she can do lots of things.” 

“If that’s so, my dear, your fortune is made;” with that 
he cut off a piece of choice meat and gave it to Blacky. 

That night they had a good rest, and next morning they 
resumed their journey, and kept this up until they reached 
a great body of water and wharves, to which were anchored 
big vessels, on one of which they embarked, wagon, horses 
and all. 

On board there were also a lot of other passengers. 

Oh! what a beautiful ship it was, with its nice staterooms, 
a big saloon furnished with taste, large cosy seats, lovely 
pictures and a grand piano. 

Now after they had rested, the man asked Polly to show 
him what her cat could do in the way of tricks; so she 
asked for what was needed, and made Blacky do a whole 
lot of stunts; and you never saw a man and woman more 
surprised. 


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They told her never to let her do those tricks in public 
unless they gave their consent. 

The following evening there were a number of passengers 
assembled in the big saloon, when the woman, whose name 
was La Vere, brought out a beautiful dress, all spangles 
and gold and silver trimmings, fixed Polly's hair up nicely 
with a ribbon set with sparkling stones, that glistened like 
diamonds when the light shone on them, fastened a blue 
ribbon around Blacky's neck, and then dressed herself in a 
beautiful costume. 

Mr. La Vere, who wore short green trousers, big silver 
buckles on his shoes, a snow white ruffled shirt and a big 
red belt around his waist, took a guitar and his wife a 
mandolin, and went into the big saloon, where a platform 
was erected, on which they were to give their entertainment, 
which consisted of vocal and instrumental music. 

Mr. La Vere and his wife played some pleasing melodies 
and sang several songs. 

Then Polly, in her glittering dress, made her cat perform 
some tricks. 

Mr. La Vere was smart enough to have a hoop and other 
things ready for her, and Blacky did everything just grand. 

The audience cheered, Mr. La Vere made a little speech, 
then took up a collection, and oh! what a lot of money he 
did get. 

One man put in a five-dollar gold piece; everyone con- 
tributed. 

Then more music was given, and Polly made Blacky do 
more tricks, and allowed the audience to stroke her beautiful 
fur, and so the entertainment closed to the entire satisfac- 
tion of everybody. 



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Mr. La Vere and his wife were well pleased, gave Polly 
a bag of candy and nuts. 

One lady presented her with a whole silver dollar for her 
own. 

The entertainment proved a grand success, everyone 
liked it. 

Polly traveled with the La Vere’s for three years until 
she was sixteen years old, when one evening while they 
were giving a performance at a village fair, not far from 
London, there happened a runaway. 

Two powerful horses hitched to a nice carriage became 
frightened at something, and tore through the fair grounds 
upsetting booths, and stands, coming pell-mell towards 
where Polly was. 

It was almost her turn again to exhibit her wonderful 
cat, when there was a terrible crash, in which there was a 
mixture of horses, carriage, people and debris. 

By good luck and kind providence Polly was not hurt, 
but was thrown clear outside by the collision. 

It took her a minute or two to collect her senses, then 
she looked around for her cat, first one place then another, 
finally wandered entirely out of the grounds, when she 
thought she heard her cat calling her, she followed the 
sound, and it led her to a big pair of iron gates which were 
ajar. Still thinking she heard her cat, she entered the 
gates, and found herself in a kind of < park in which she 
walked for hours looking for her Blacky, and from pure 
weariness had to sit down to rest on one of a number of 
benches. The moon was shining brightly, and by the 
light she could see beautiful shrubbery, beds of flowers, 
roses and violets, and oh! they smelt so sweet, the air 


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was filled with the fragrant odor; again she thought she 
heard her cat mewing, so she rose and resumed her search 
until she came to a beautiful fountain, enclosed in a marble 
basin, and right on the edge of the basin she expied, as she 
thought, her lost cat. 

She ran with all the haste she could up to the edge to 
reach for her cat, when she lost her balance and over she 
went head-foremost into the water down out of sight, and 
lost all conciousness. 

When she came to her senses she was lying in a beautiful 
bed, soft as down, and a beautiful lady was standing by 
her bedside, who asked her how she felt; but Polly had 
gone through so much that she was very weak, hardly able 
to talk. 

The kind lady, who was very rich, and owner of the fine 
park and grand house, nursed Polly until she was well 
and then told her how she came to be saved. 

“My son,” she said, “has a habit of walking around the 
park, and happened just to be near the fountain when he 
saw you running, as if chasing someone or thing, and 
before he could get up to you, you went over into the 
water, but he quickly jumped in and got you out and brought 
you to the house. 

“We, of course, rendered all the assistance we could in 
resuscitating you. 

“We have, thanks to an allwise Providence, gotten you 
so far, and hope you will soon be out of danger and get 
quite well, for Arthur, my son, is impatient to see you, but 
we would not permit that until you regained consciousness. 

“Now, do tell us your name? for I know there must 
be some who are most uneasy about you.” 


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“My name is Polly,” said our little girl, “and I have no 
parents, I used to live with my uncle and aunt, until lately, 
when some good people took me along with them, knowing 
that my relatives treated me very badly. 

“They were real good to me, and I helped them in their 
show, by giving exhibitions with my trained cat, until 
the horses ran into us;” and then Polly described the acci- 
dent; told how she ran after her cat, and fell into the 
water. 

Polly stayed a long time in this lovely place. 

Arthur and she became quite attached to one another, 
they were like Cinderella and the Prince, and one day we 
find them standing before a minister, who had a book in 
his hand, asking them if they would love and cherish each 
other as long as they lived, just as your papa and mamma 
had to do, when all at once, after Arthur had said yes, and 
Polly had said yes, and the preacher had said “What God 
has joined together, let no man put asunder,” and as for a 
moment everything was quiet, and before anyone could 
say a word, there was heard a meow! meow! and Polly’s 
cat, “Blacky,” was seen coming into the room with her tail 
straight up in the air, right up to Polly she came, and 
with one jump, landed on her shoulder, and gave her the 
first kiss, and oh! how glad she was to find her mistress, 
how she had hunted and hunted, but lost all trail at the 
fountain, where Polly fell in, for there she lost the scent, 
and how she hovered around day after day, hoping to see 
her mistress again, at last she came across her footprints near 
the grand mansion, and reached her just in time for that 
kiss. 



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Oh! what a joyful meeting; how Polly hugged first her, 
then her friends, and what a glorious time they had after- 
wards, they were all so happy. 

If you could go to see them, you would never find anyone 
more pleased with good fortune than were Polly and her 
cat, and Arthur, too, it is to be hoped! 


Jack Spratt 


Away out in the country, far from any 
railroad station, on a small farm and in a 
house surrounded by woods, there lived a 
family of three, namely: Rev. Wm. Spratt, 
his wife, and one son, whom his father 
named John. 

They were poor people, strictly honest and religious. 

The father, being a minister of the gospel, took every 
precaution to rear John with the view of his becoming a 
preacher, and would have succeeded very well but for one 
thing: John, I am sorry to say, was seemingly one of the 
biggest block heads that ever lived. 

If he was taught a certain thing he was sure to forget it 
the next day, and everything he attempted, he either failed 
in or did exactly the reverse of what was required. 

One day his father, who was in a hurry to make a visit, 
called him to get his boots and polish them; not getting 
any answer he went to look for him, and lucky that he did; 
at the back of the house, underneath a drip, stood a rain 
barrel full of water; and in it, with his feet sticking out, 
was John; he would certainly have been drowned if his 
father had not pulled him out at once. 

The trouble was that John, in climbing up a ladder that 
stood by the barrel, missed his footing, tumbled over back- 
wards and head first into the barrel. 

Naturally his mother had to take him through a drying- 
process. 



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Just the day before he upset a beehive, and the bees 
chased and stung him until his face was full of welts. 

His cries could be heard all over the place. 

For two weeks he limped around with a sore foot, caused 
by being caught in a steel trap, which was put near the hen- 
house to catch chicken thieves. 

His nose was flat, caused by falling over the chopping- 
block in the woodhouse and bumping it on the ax. 

One of his fingers was tied up, mashed, from getting it 
caught against the doorjam. 

Poor boy, he was a sorry sight to look upon; one eye 
nearly closed from having been pecked by the big turkey 
gobbler, cuts and bruises were all over him, and now wet 
all through from nearly drowning in the rain barrel. 

While he is drying I will tell you some other mishaps 
which befell him. 

He had always the misfortune to get into trouble of some 
kind. 

When he was only three months old he swallowed the 
nipple which was on his milk bottle, and would have swal- 
lowed the bottle, too, if it had’nt been too large. 

As it was, the neck got jammed in his throat, and his 
gurgles and scuffles alone saved him; his mother heard the 
noise and flew to his assistance. 

When six months old, he came near burning up; when 
crawling around the room, he managed to get too near 
the old-fashioned fireplace, and the smell of burning rags 
brought his mother again to his rescure. 

At another time he came near being smothered in the 
flour barrel; his curiosity led him to get on a chair and peep 
in, he lost his balance and over he went into the barrel. 


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Luckely the flour was only damaged a little on top and he 
was none the worse. 

He was the only child of the Spratts’, but the trouble he 
caused them was equal to that of a dozen children. 

He had to have all the ailments children usually suffer 
with, such as thrush, croup, measles, chicken-pox, whoop- 
ing-cough, and was almost always with a stomach-ache, 
for everything he could put his hands on went into his 
mouth and disappeared. 

Once he had the misfortune to swallow a ball of yarn 
which his mother had thoughtlessly left within his reach; 
it happened to be quite a small ball, she had used most of 
it in darning socks. Into his mouth it went, out of sight; 
not knowing how to eject it he let it go down his throat 
with the exception of about a foot of the thread which 
hung out of his mouth, such a coughing and whooping as 
followed soon brought his mother to him. 

She at first did not understand what the matter was, 
but seeing the piece of yarn, she commenced pulling it, 
causing the ball to unwind gradually, and so drew it all out. 

Once he managed to get his father’s fishing-line; there 
were only three hooks on it, but when it was recovered, 
two of the hooks were fastened securely in John’s feet, 
the other in his hand; of course, the hooks had to be broken 
to get them out of the flesh; it was fortunate they were not 
down his throat, which would have happened had they 
not been fastened to the cord held by the fishing-pole 
which was wedged under the table. 

When he was old enough to get out into the yard his 
main troubles began, for everything seemed to get in his 
way; the horse stepped on him, the cow bobbed him up 


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133 


and down on her horns, the goat used him for a butting 
post. 

Once an eagle swooped down from above and fastened 
his talons into him intending to carry him heavenward, 
but his weight was too much. 

Several times he came near drowning in the spring. 

As for barb-wire fences, he seemed to attract the wire, — 
by the way it held on to him. 

Towser, the dog, more than once dragged him out of the 
danger of briars, snakes and water. 

As for eating raw turnips, tomatoes, peaches, apples, 
green or ripe, even raw onions, would not daunt him, 
but green persimmons he could not go; they were the 
limit. 

John, at the age of fourteen, was a fat boy, his weight 
was a hundred and sixty pounds. 

You can imagine what sort of boy he was, big and fat, 
overgrown for his age, a very large mouth, little grey eyes, 
face full freckles, fiery red hair, frequently full of cockle- 
burrs. 

Flat nose, red cheeks puffed out with fat, and the worst 
of all he was very bow legged; when he stood still in the 
yard, old Towser, the dog, found it no trouble to run between 
them in making a short cut to his destination. 

But one thing our boy was gifted with was good nature, 
a sweet disposition always in evidence, no matter what 
happened to him, he took everything with good grace and 
was forever wishing he could be like other boys, bright 
and active, for when his parents sent him to school, to which 
he had to walk about two miles every day, it fatigued him 
dreadfully. 


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The boys made all manner of fun of him, called him 
nicknames, such as: Jack Spratt, Fatty, Fatty Spratt, 
Spatty-fat; and continually sang something like this — 

Jack Spratt could eat no fat, 

His wife could eat no lean, 

So you see between them both, 

They licked old Spatty Fatty clean. 

They teased him unmercifully, just because they knew 
he was good natured and could not catch his tormentors. 

In playing ball, when John was at the bat, another boy 
had to run for him if he accidentally managed to hit the 
ball, for mostly he would miss it, and the exertion of swing- 
ing the bat would turn him round and round until he sat 
down on the home plate exausted. 

Now and then he would manage to catch the ball with 
his eye, which would take on a bluish, black color, and 
somewhat illuminate his features. 

When playing marbles he could hardly ever be seen in 
any other position than on his hands and knees. 

His mother wondered time and again why his trousers 
should be worn so much at the knees; his father thought, 
overestimating his son’s praying abilities, that perhaps it 
was caused from protracted prayer on bended knees, or 
perhaps it took him considerable time to get his thoughts 
into the proper channel to commune with his Maker. 

His mother thought otherwise, for she felt convinced 
John’s thoughts were more inclined towards his stomach 
than elsewhere, judging by the amount of food he consumed. 

He never let his pockets get empty, for from them mostly 
the supply came to fill his inside; it made no difference 


Modern Fairy Tales 


135 


what he ate, if he could not get anything else, raw turnips 
and sweet potatoes would suffice. 

When he entered school it took him nearly a year to learn 
how to say his a, b, c’s, and count up to ten, and even then 
he would leave out some numbers or letters. 

That you may understand what a dunce he was, I will 
tell you that on one occasion his teacher asked him what 
h-e-n spelled, and he couldn’t tell; so she asked him what 
bird it was that was covered with feathers and furnished 
his mother with eggs? “Oh,” said John, “its little chickens.” 

“What are they called when they are grown?” persisted 
the teacher. 

“My mother when she calls them, always hollors, chic- 
chic-chic.” 

When chickens get real large and have a comb and tail, 
what are they then?” 

“Roosters!” answered John. 

His teacher quite lost her patience, for all the boys burst 
out laughing, “Silence!” she exclaimed. “Now, John, 
I shall try you once more: what does your mother set on 
the eggs to make them hatch?” “John hesitated a little 
while, finally blurted out, “Incubators.” 

Now dont you think, children, he was bright? 

One day he was called out to read from his first reader 
about Mary and her little lamb. This is the way he read 
it with the book upside down: Mary had a little lamb, his 
wool was full of white, and every lamb the school would 
went, she wouldn’t let it stay at home. 

Everyone laughed, even the schoolteacher had to smile. 
John laughed also, and to make matters worse, remarked: 






















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137 


“I know's what you all is laughing at; its cause I knows' 
it by hard." 

John, being such a blockhead, had such a tough time of 
it that he did not know what to do, he kept on saying, 
“Oh! if I only was like other boys." 

One evening as he was jogging along on his way home 
from school, and his thoughts were directed towards the 
former place and what he should get to eat when he got 
there, he suddenly fell heels over head over some obstacle 
placed in his way. On getting up slowly to ascertain the 
cause of his mishap, what should he behold but a beautiful 
young girl, dressed like a Fairy. She wore a lovely silk 
dress trimmed with gold and silver. Her hair was black 
as a crow and hung down her back, it was fastened together 
at the top with a band studded with diamonds. She held 
in her hand a coil of gold cord, one end of which was fastened 
across the road to a tree. She laughed gaily at him, for 
being such a blunderbus, and asked: “Say! isn't your name 
Jack Spratt?" 

“No! my name aint Jack Spratt; its John Spratt," he 
answered. 

“Did'nt you see me when you came along? and why did 
you not speak to me?" said the fairy. 

“No! I never saw you; and I don't thank you for making 
fun of me, you made me hurt my leg by fastening that rope 
across the road." 

“Never mind, John," replied the beautiful Fairy Maiden, 
with that she placed her hand on his shoulder, “I am going 
to arrange it so that you will turn the tables on your tor- 
mentors if you will do as I tell you. 


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“What are you going to do? What do you want me to 
do? If you tell me now, I am sure to forget by to-morrow,” 
he said. 

Poor John, he felt awfully embarrassed and awkward, 
and really did not know what to say. 

The fairy reassured him by saying: “in the first place, I 
am going to give you a good memory,” with that she gave 
him a little bottle containing a thin transparent liquid. “I 
want you to put one drop of this liquid on your head once 
every day, that will teach you not to forget. It will, also, 
in the course of time change the color of your hair. This 
chain, which I shall present to you, I want you to wear 
around your neck, the little heart on it will be your talisman, 
whenever you get hungry or thirsty, touch it to your lips, 
and it will satisfy you, but if you let any other girl but me 
touch it until I give you permission, its virtue will be gone, 
the charm will be broken. 

“It will also reduce your fat, and you will become normal 
in size, like other people. This belt, I wish you to buckle 
around your waist, it will cause you to become supple and 
active ) by pressing the buckle with one hand you will be 
able to outrun any living being, and if you place both 
hands on it, you will be able to jump twenty feet at one 
spring and leap over any obstacle without trouble. But 
ugly and frecklefaced, and bowlegged you will remain 
until you are twenty-one years old. Now, don’t forget 
you may not see me again until you are a man, but I shall 
be watching you all the time. She then gave him the chain 
and belt, wound up her golden cord, jumped up, gave John 
a smacking kiss, and before he realized it, had darted into 
the woods and disappeared. 


Modern Fairy Tales 


139 


CHAPTER SECOND 

As soon as John could collect his thoughts, he put the 
chain around his neck and touched the heart to his lips, 
and suddenly lost all desire for food or drink; next, he put on 
the belt, and while he was buckling it he could’nt keep 
still; he felt as if he wanted to fly. With the little bottle 
in his hand, he hurried home, and the more he walked the 
faster he went, so when he got in sight of his home he 
thought he would test the virtue of the belt; he placed one 
hand on it, and suddenly he leaped up into the air like a 
Kangaroo, and in three jumps landed on his back porch. 

His mother seeing him arrive so suddenly did not know 
what to make of it, something so unusual as activity in her 
boy, and hurried to him to see what was the matter. 

He told her he was all right and commenced to put his 
books away, when she told him he could get some lunch if 
he was hungry, for a wonder, he declined, saying, “he was’nt 
hungry a bit.” 

John, for fear he would forget, immediately uncorked 
the bottle, and put one drop of the mixture on his head, — 
and what a queer feeling came over him, just as if he had 
awoke from a dream. 

His father, who was out on the lawn trying to catch the 
horse, just then called him to come and help him, as he was 
in a hurry to visit a sick parishoner. He had no idea 
of the change that had taken place in his son. Thought 
perhaps he could head off the horse so that he could catch 
him more quickly, and was surprised beyond bounds to see 
John coming out briskly, and before he knew it, with three 


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or four bounds, the boy reached the horse, and to the sur- 
prise of the animal, was on his back.” 

“Here he is, Pa., shall I hitch him to the buggy?” and not 
waiting for his father’s answer, he put the harness on the 
horse and hitched him to the vehicle. 

His father was dumbfounded. 

“Thank the Lord,” said he, “perhaps the Almighty has 
answered my prayer, and my son will yet grow to what 
I desire him to be.” 

Next day when John rose, the first thing he did was to 
put a drop of the liquid on his head; then he bathed, got 
his books, read over his lessons, then attended to the chores 
for his father, and was so interested in doing little things 
about the house, that he completely forgot all about break- 
fast. 

His mother called to him to hurry, as he had no time to 
loose if he wanted to get to school in time. 

But our boy did not want any breakfast; only drank a 
cup of tea, got his books, kissed his mother, and was off. 

It took him just one-fourth his usual time to get to the 
school, and he arrived half an hour earlier than anyone 
else. 

All the boys were surprised to see him there before them, 
and some of them concluded they would have some fun at 
his expense. 

One of them stole up behind him and grabbed his books, 
another got his cap and off they ran. 

“Come on Fatty,” they cried, “let’s see you run.” 

The others circled around him to detain him, when John 
jumped, caught two of them, one in each hand, and by main 
strength bumped them together, and gave them a shove 


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141 


that sent them flying into the midst of the others; he then 
put both hands on his belt buckle, made a flying leap over 
their heads, and with one or two more bounds, caught the 
two runaways, snatched his cap and books, and before 
they recovered from their surprise, was back to the school- 
door, which he entered. 

“Hello! boys; did you ever! what’s come over Fatty? 
Did he hurt you Jim? and Joe? We had better look out; 
for he is certainly getting his wits. Jerusalem! how he did 
jump; he bounced like a rubber ball,” and with that they 
let him alone. 

When school was opened and the spelling class was called 
up, our boy was, as usual, found at the foot of the class; 
but didn’t their eyes open when the very first word the 
teacher gave out, John moved up six places, and wonder- 
ful to relate, not one question put to him did he fail to 
answer incorrectly. 

The sums he had to do did not take him longer than to 
write the answers; everything he was told to do he did 
perfectly. When the reading class was called, and John was 
asked to read one of the most difficult pieces, he read it 
fluently, without hesitating in the least. 

His teacher remarked, that if he kept on that way, he 
would soon excel all the others. 

The boys did not forget John during recess, and tried 
their best to get him into a difficulty. 

Next to the school yard, in grounds adjoining, lived an 
old bachelor, whose apple orchard was just in sight of his 
house near the school yard. 

A high brick wall divided the orchard from the yard. 
The boys thought if they could get John with one or two 


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more to get over the wall, the others would inform the old 
man and he would turn his dog loose on them. 

The two who accompanied John supposed that by help- 
ing each other they could get over the wall before the dog 
came, and so leave John behind for the dog to play with. 

Now this is what they did: they dared Jack to get over 
the wall with two of them to get a ball they claimed had 
fallen over there. 

John, who was real nice, told them certainly he would help 
them get the ball, and over the wall he and two others 
went. 

While they were prowling around, pretending that they 
were looking for the ball, the dog was seen coming faster 
than they expected; John pressed his buckle with both 
hands, and with one bound over the wall he went. 

Not so with the other two; it was nip and tuck with 
them; the dog was having a picnic; ow-wow — “Oh! oh! 
help! help!” A sorry looking pair they were when at last 
they managed to get over the wall. 

One was bleeding in several places minus one coat sleeve, 
the seat of his trousers completely ripped out; the other 
with no trousers on at all; the dog had the tattered gar- 
ments on the other side playing with them and wishing he 
had the owner. 

The boys had to wait underneath the schoolhouse until 
another boy went to their homes and brought them other 
clothes. 

A nice lecture they received from their teacher. John 
came in for a part of it, too, but he did not mind it; he had 
the satisfaction to see that two of his tormentors really 
got what they deserved. 


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After school, as our boy wended his way home, walking 
leisurely along the main road, he happened to look back, 
and saw galloping towards him a horse hitched to a light 
pheaton. 

He was no doubt running away at full speed, under no 
control; he could see the person in the vehicle, a young 
lady, waving her arms and screaming. 

He instantly recognized her as the daughter of the judge 
of the county in which he lived. 

A lovely young lady, who was regarded as the belle of the 
county. 

She looked to him beseechingly for help as they sped by. 

John thought it best to let her pass before he tried to 
rescue her, but the next instant he, with his hands on his 
buckle was after them, and it was not more than a minute 
before he was swinging on to the horse’s head. 

You may well know that a horse having a hundred and 
sixty pounds hanging on to his head most surely would 
have to come to a stop, and to a stop he instantly came. 

John clutched the reins and assured the young lady that 
she was now out of danger and that she had better let him 
drive her home, as he was afraid she would not be able 
to manage the horse after he once ran away. 

She thankfully acquiesced, and informed him she would 
be more than pleased to have him drive, adding that she 
owed him her life, for the horse might have run into a 
tree and broke the buggy all to pieces and killed her. 

“Everyone tells me,” she said, “that you are slow and 
cannot run, but they are certainly mistaken, you dear sweet 
boy!” with that she put her arms around his neck, “even 
if you are not handsome I am going to kiss you.” 


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“Not on your life!” said John, “you can thank me, but 
not that! no kisses, please! and please don’t touch my chain.” 
She was about to take hold of it. 

“Oh! you naughty boy, I thought you would like a kiss 
better than anything else.” 

“Not until I am a man,” said John. 

“H’m, then I wouldn’t want to kiss you, for you would 
be a mean old man with hair all over your face.” 

In due time John got her home. 

The Judge wanted to reward him, but our hero would 
not accept any recompense. The judge then offered to send 
him home in a buggy, but John refused again, saying he 
could get there quicker than any of his horses could carry 
him, and before the judge could say more, our boy was out 
of sight. 

John’s schooldays proved very uneventful, with the ex- 
ception that in about three years he knew more than his 
teacher, and turned tables on him by instructing him in 
foreign languages that he had learned secretly. 

John had lots of fun during his schooldays; for while his 
intellect improved, some of his fat disappeared, and he 
became as strong as a lion. 

For playing ball there were none now who could excel 
him, he could outrun any of them, and as for feats of 
strength, it would take four or five to hold him. 

There was a pond not far from the schoolhouse; it really 
was a mill pond, and not very far from the school was the 
old mill to which the farmers brought their wheat and corn 
to have ground. 

Sometimes during recess the boys would go to this pond 
to fish, and in the winter, when the pond was covered 


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with ice, they would form skating parties, having lunch at 
the schoolhouse. 

Our John was invited to one of these parties, as he really 
was the best skater known thereabouts. 

You will remember I told you before he was very bow 
legged, but that did not bother him in skating. 

It was on a Saturday and a beautiful day. There was 
quite a crowd at the pond, lots of boys and their sweet- 
hearts from the surrounding country, not only young people 
but old folks, too. They brought their lunch with them 
and served it in the schoolhouse. 

All around, tied to trees and hitching posts, were horses 
with vehicles that brought most of the people. 

John, who had been busy at home the best part of the 
morning sawing and splitting wood, did not come until 
late. Everyone was in motion on the ice when he arrived. 

“Hello! here comes Jack Spratt! I wonder if he will 
skate; I don’t think he can. as he has’nt brought his 
skates.” 

“I can’t see any,” several exclaimed. 

John really did not have any skates with him, for he had 
lent them to a boy who was too poor to buy a pair, thinking 
he would amuse himself watching the skaters. 

He preferred keeping company with others who were 
along the shore, because they could not skate, or were too 
timid to risk themselves on the ice. 

Everything went on smoothly, until several smart ones 
began to tease him, saying: “Say! Spratty! why don’t you 
skate?” 

“Haven’t mine with me,” answered John. 

“Good excuse; you’er afraid of getting beat.” 



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“No I am not, I loaned my skates to Brown, he’s with 
his best girl.” 

“I know why you won’t skate, there is’nt a girl that will 
skate with you for fear she may mistake your legs for an 
arch and go through them. We know you are afraid to 
skate to-day, for fear you will get beat.” 

“Not much!” said John, “I just don’t feel like skating, 
and I do not care to borrow a pair since loaning mine out, 
and as for being beat, I know I can beat any of you without 
trying very hard, either.” 

“Not on your life could you with those bow legs Oi yours, 
they would be in everybody’s way and tangle up the 
crowd.” 

John, who was getting nettled at such chaffing, said: 
“Look here Burk! I don’t want you to cast any reflection 
on my legs, they are bone and muscle, and if I were inclined 
to use them to give you a lift, you would find yourself on 
the other side of the pond quicker than you could skate 
there, but I would not soil them in contact with you.” 

“Oh! go on, you overgrown elephant, you’r afraid you 
will break in the ice, and have the suckers under it claim 
you as their companion.” 

In this way they kept taunting John, who did not wish 
to have a quarrel with them, when suddenly cries of distress 
were heard from the further end of the pond. 

Someone had broken in. A girl and a boy were struggling 
in the icy water, everyone was horror struck; if help did 
not come at once they would surely be drowned. 

John grasped the situation in a moment, running over to 
the schoolhouse, he took the door off the hinges, and with it 
on his head he ran as fast as he could on the ice, but could 


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not make fast time, for he had to hold the door with both 
hands, consequently could not touch his belt, but on second 
thought he placed the door on the ice, held on to it with 
one hand and with the other on his buckle, away he and 
the door slid over towards the sinking ones, and with one 
mighty shove he sent the door towards them. 

They quickly clung to it. He then pulled off his comforter, 
tied it to his coat, called for two or three more from those 
around him, fastened them all together and threw one end 
to the struggling pair who eagerly clutched it and he pulled 
them on the ice, which cracked and groaned beneath their 
weight. By continuous laborious efforts he at last got them 
out of danger. 

Now it happened that the girl who came so near meeting 
her death, was considered the prettiest girl in the whole 
crowd, and two hours after the rescue, when lunch had been 
served, she walked up to John, who was in the center of 
admiring friends, caught him by the arm and told him she 
wanted to thank him for saving her life, and insisted on his 
following her into the schoolroom where a dozen girls were 
assembled. 

After making John sit down in a chair, she exclaimed! 
“Girls! I am going to do something now out of the ordinary, 
as I have no other means of showing my gratitude to Mr. 
Spratt for rescuing me from a watery grave I am going to 
kiss him, and was on the point of imprinting a kiss on our 
boy, who quickly flung up his hand and caught the salute 
on that. 

“Not much you don’t,” said he, “I cannot accept kisses 
from any girl until I am of age, and that’s some time yet.” 

“Oh! my! he’s got a beau! ain’t that nice! Who is she? 


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Is she pretty? Where does she live?” and lots of other 
questions were hurled at him. 

Our hero began to blush, or rather turn quite red in the 
face. 

Even the girl he refused to kiss felt sorry for him, and 
remarked so that all could hear her, “It don’t make any 
difference, Mr. Spratt knows he’s not handsome, but he is 
certainly nice — ‘handsome is that handsome does/ all the 
same he’s brave; and the girl is lucky that’s his sweetheart.” 

CHAPTER THIRD 

The time had now come when John had to quit school, 
and as he stood first in examination, he graduated with 
highest honors. 

Oh! how his parents were pleased, how proud they were 
of him! They noticed, too, a change in his appearance, his 
hair had turned in color to a beautiful auburn, plenty of 
physical exercise, also, began to tell on him, for he became 
more symmetrical in form, quite good looking. 

He still wore the chain and belt and applied the liquid 
to his head regularly, but sad to relate, the bottle was now 
nearly empty and he did not know where to replenish it. 
It bothered him very much, more than once he went and 
stood by the tree hoping to see the beautiful Fairy, but 
she did not come. 

Now as his school days were over, he made up his mind to 
go to work, and concluded the best thing he could do would 
be to stay at home, improve the farm, and so assist his 
parents, who were getting old and needed his help. 

It was hard work, though, to till the soil with only one 
horse which his father had to use part of the time. 


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They were not able to buy another one, and Dobbin was 
too old to stand much work. 

John tried to borrow some money from the neighbors, 
but no one had any to lend. 

About this time his mother was taken sick, and his 
father had the misfortune to fall from his horse and break 
his leg. Between attending to his parents and working all 
he could on the farm, he could hardly make ends meet, 
so he became awfully discouraged. 

And worst of all his liquid gave out and he couldn't 
think. Everything went wrong, it was too bad. Poor 
John! One day he went down to the spring to get a pail of 
water, and he heard someone singing, the words were 
these: 

“Oh! do not be discouraged, for a better time will come, 

“I am watching over you, you faithful loving son, 

“Do your duty every day, the time will not be long, 

“When luck will surely find you out, so do be brave and 
strong." 

John looked, the sound came from above. 

Away up high above the tree tops he saw a wonderful 
contrivance. 

At first it looked to him as if it were a boat suspended in 
the air, then again it resembled a huge umbrella. 

Then something came in contact with his face, he made a 
clutch for it. 

It proved to be a small bottle attached to a gold thread, 
which disappeared as soon as he held the bottle, and some- 
thing dropped all around him, which at first he thought was 
hail, but when he looked carefully he beheld silver dollars 


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and half dollars scattered all over the ground, just as if 
someone had emptied a keg full from above. 

It took him some time to gather them all up, and when he 
finished, he had both trouser pockets full, coat pockets full 
and a heaping hat full. 

Quite a load to carry, but what he prized more then all 
the money, was the little bottle of liquid. 

With the money he bought a good horse and wagon, and 
then went to work on the farm in earnest. 

Every day he could be seen with his sleeves rolled up, a 
big straw hat on his head, driving the horse hitched to a 
plow, and wonderful! everything he planted grew at once 
and so fast, that his crops were ready to be gathered before 
others got through planting. 

Being so successful, made him work all the harder. In 
truth he worked so hard that it began to tell on him. 

The finest machinery will wear out if over worked. 

His mother advised him to take a vacation, suggested 
a trip somewhere, but John did not feel like it, for traveling 
cost money, and he had none to waste; furthermore there 
was no place he liked better than home — “sweet home.” 

One evening, the sun had set, it was about dusk, he had 
just finished hoeing the corn and being tired sat down 
on a log near the edge of the field to rest. 

Suddenly his ears were assailed by a whirring noise, and 
before he could look around the same strange looking con- 
trivance he had once before seen settled down before 
him. 

Out of the car or basket stepped a little old man, not 
over four feet tall with a long white beard that reached 
to his knees. 



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His hair was snow white, and a little round red cap on 
his head made a gay contrast with it. He saluted our hero, 
informed him that he was deputized by the Princess Marselie 
who lived in the land of Mars, many thousand miles from 
here. 

He presented an invitation, signed by the Princess, for 
John to go with him to visit her, and spend his vacation in 
her company. Her desire was to him equivalent to a 
command and he must obey. 

It was added he must go at once, just as he was dressed; 
that he could leave a note to his parents informing them 
that he would be away three vreeks, and that they should 
get some one to look after the farm during his absence. 

“All right,” said John, “but you will have to wait a little 
while until I can change my clothes and take a bath.” 

“That’s not necessary,” the little old man replied, you get 
into my car, it will be time enough for you to make your 
toilet when we arrive at the endless stairs, at the foot of 
which you will find everything that is needed.” 

So John wrote a note, stuck it on a pole so that his father 
would see it, entered the basket with the little man, and 
hardly had gotten seated when the machine began to whirr 
and hum as if a thousand little wheels were attached to it, 
and before he knew it they were sailing along in the air 
so fast that John could hardly get his breath. The old 
man smiled, and asked, “Can you stand it, sir? or can we go 
faster? 

“We are hardly moving, I would like to pass the moon 
before morning, and we are not half way yet.” 

John said that going so fast hurt his mouth. Then the 
old man pulled out a long white beard from the bottom of 


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the car, and told John to press it to his face, and it would 
stick. John did so, and then felt all right. 

“Now we can go,” said the old man, and pressed a 
button, and my! didn’t they just go! They went so fast, 
that they passed first one ball of fire, then another, like a 
flash. 

“What are these?” John inquired. 

“Those are the little stars that occasionally burst and fall 
to the earth, the people in your world call them shooting 
stars. They are about five hundred miles apart, we pass one 
nearly every two minutes. Look out! we are going to pass 
a comet, which will be visible in your world in about twenty- 
five years.” And sure enough! just then it grew very 
brilliant, and they could see hundreds of just such contriv- 
ances as the one they were in ahead of them. 

“Who and what are these?” asked John. 

“Electrical airmotors from Mars. Their owners are 
viewing the comet, but are afraid to go lower for fear they 
can’t get back. No one ever ventured to your earth but the 
Princess and I; this motor we are in is my own invention, 
and the Princess can handle it as well as I can. 

“She can’t find anyone in the Land of Mars whom she 
thinks is her equal in size, so she took a trip to your world, 
and this time sent me after you.” 

“But how could you find me?” said John. 

“She traced the exact spot of your house on this chart, 
and as the needle never varies, I had no trouble in finding 
you, and as luck would have it you were out of doors. 

“See here is your picture, I saw you through my glass 
long before you could see my motor.” 


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Here he handed Jack a telescope made in Mars, also a 
photograph. 

“How in the world did she get my picture?” 

“Oh! easy enough; she saw you twice; once in the woods 
face to face, another time from overhead, and when we once 
see a person, his or her likeness is stamped on our memory, and 
our electrical photographer can take the picture easy enough 
by connecting the thinking wire of his camera to his head. 

“We do not need the person, one only has to concentrate 
his thoughts on the person’s looks — that’s all.” 

“Wonderful,” said John, “we haven’t got as far ad- 
vanced as that, but lots of other things we have invented 
which were never before dreamed of. 

“Some of our astronomers even claim they can see solid 
matter in your place.” 

“H’m, that’s nothing! we have seen you all for the last 
hundred years from the foot of our stairs; and now and then 
we see your balloons when they are up in the sky. The 
trouble is you are afraid of going too high and we are 
afraid of going too low, but it won’t be many years before 
someone will accomplish the feat from below. 

“We would descend to your world, but are afraid it would 
cause a panic, and the next thing would be a war, and we 
should be compelled to destroy your earth by fire and that 
would ruin us, as we need all our electricity to give us light, 
for we have not the sun as close to us as you have.” 

“In this way they conversed all night, and as morning 
approached the little old man gradually slowed down the 
machine, and they found themselves entering an opening 
into what seemed to be an immense swinging pavilion, 
which in appearance was moving, too. 


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By some means they anchored inside, where could be 
seen hundreds of the same machines. 

They then stepped out of their basket and entered a room, 
furnished with all kinds of things suitable for the toilet. 
There hung scores of beautiful suits, woven of some kind of 
gold thread, and made to fit the body like a net. But, 
strange to say, every suit but one was too small for John, 
so he dressed himself in that and found it very comfort- 
able. 

The old man, who was ready now to guide our hero to the 
Princess, conducted him through another chamber to the 
foot of the great stairs, which were somewhat like an 
elevator or a series of elevators, that were ascending and 
descending continually. 

They took a seat in one and found themselves going up 
with a rapidity beyond comprehension. 

Up! up! up! they went, as if they were traveling up a 
huge shaft out of a coal mine. 

In this way they traveled two whole hours, when all at 
once they shot into the open air. 

Oh! what a lovely scene met his eyes, thousands upon 
thousands of electric lights, everywhere to illuminate the 
country. 

There being a number of moons to be seen in Mars, which, 
strange to say, gave but little light, the inhabitants gave 
all their attention to electricity, and it seemed everything 
was operated by that power. 

It was almost as light as day when they arrived. To all 
appearance they were expected, ~as an immense crowd had 
assembled to greet them at the opening from which they 
were to emerge, but quickly gave way as they came forth. 


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Our hero was so tall, compared to the Martians, that it 
made him conspicuous. 

Bands upon bands of music were heard, but they did not 
stop to listen, and finally got through the crowd and entered 
a pavilion brilliant with light of all colors. Here they found 
a machine shaped like a shell, the seats of which were as soft 
as down. They boarded it and away they sped, on some 
smooth driveway, so noiseless and jarless, that they hardly 
felt they were moving. Now up a beautiful avenue with 
trees on both sides, then through a big gateway, and again 
up another fine driveway bordered with sweet smelling 
shrubs and flowers, and at last to the entrance of a mag- 
nificent palace with marble steps and porches, before this 
they stopped. 

A bevy of beautiful maidens with gold trumpets heralded 
their arrival. 

Then a number of little men no larger then boys, dressed 
in green uniform and armed with small electric silver rods, 
escorted our hero to the reception hall. 

At one end of the spacious room there was a beautiful 
throne all covered with gold and silver, and sitting on it, 
was the same beautiful Fairy who gave John the wonderful 
liquid, belt and neckchain. 

She beckoned to him to come forward, and said, “How 
do you do, John? once more we meet; how did you like your 
trip?” and held out her hand; which John kissed. 

“Fine,” he replied, “many thanks to you for giving it 
to me, I certainly enjoyed it so far.” 

“And you will enjoy it still more before you go back 
home,” replied the Princess. 


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“Girls!” and she turned to a lot of maids of honor on each 
side of her, “give my hero a song of welcome.” 

Suddenly enchanting music was heard from invisible 
somewhere, and they with one accord sang a song so sweet, 
it thrilled John so that he almost thought he must be in 
Heaven, and the angels were doing the singing. 

When the music ceased, the Princess rose and taking the 
arm of our Hero, entered, “followed by the train of maidens,” 
a splendid dining room, in which was a long table loaded 
with delicacies of every conceivable description; every 
kind of ice, rich grapes, peaches, apricots, cakes of every 
kind, and bowls upon bowls of a delicious drink. 

You will ask whether John enjoyed the feast? He 
certainly did, and not the feast alone, for during the whole 
time he was eating, the music continued, not loud, but low 
and sweet. 

The Princess explained to him that here in Mars, every- 
one was sociable; that pride of possession was unkown, that 
no one suffered from want. Every man, woman and child 
had their duty to perform, which would only take a small 
part of the day, and the rest of the time they gave to 
pleasure. 

The days being twenty-four hours long, they had plenty 
of leisure time in which to indulge in all sorts of amusements. 

She also told him other wonderful things. 

That the people did as they were told, that crime was 
unknown, everyone loved everyone else; even herself 
though a Princess, loved and cared as much for every known 
person in Mars, as she did for her own father and mother; 
that all the law they ever had was: Do unto others as you 
wish others to do unto you; you will find that in your Bible. 


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No one was ashamed to do any manner of work that 
others did, even “she,” could knit, sew, wash, plant or do 
anything any other girl could do, and that was one reason 
she took a fancy to John, for she felt convinced that he 
loved to work. But said there was one sad fact she must 
tell him, and that was, that the people in Mars all died 
young compared to what they did in John’s world. 

The oldest man who ever lived there hardly attained his 
sixtieth year, but when they did die, they became Fairies 
and went to the Fairy-world to live for ever and ever. 

When the repast was finished they all rose, and the 
Princess conducted John into another vast hall that had a 
gallery all around it. 

In it were a number of big organs, that were worked by 
electricity, and it was from them the sweet music came. 

In the center of the hall there was a large globe, ever 
so many feet in size, and on it there could be seen pictures 
of every description, lovely colored pictures showing beauti- 
ful homes, lovely flowers, country scenes, and so forth. 

She explained to John that all those things were photo- 
graphs taken in Mars, and were shown to any one wishing 
to see them. “Now John,” said she, “wish for something 
you would like to see, and it will appear in a little while.” 

“I would like to see my parents and the old farm in my 
world,” he said. 

Presently the pictures began to change on the globe, 
suddenly John beheld a farm house, a horse at the door; 
then his father came to the door and his mother behind 
him, now his father kissed his mother then mounted his 
horse and rode away, his mother waving her kerchief at 
him. 


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Now the scene changed, the sun was shining over a corn- 
field, his father and two men were gathering corn, now his 
mother came up with a pitcher of milk or water, the men 
all stopped to take a drink from the pitcher; now he saw 
his mother take something off a pole, it was the note he had 
fastened on it himself before he left, and no doubt they 
had just seen it, for they all came up to hear it read; then 
he saw them clapping their hands, and looking up to the 
sky. 

The scene shifted again — it was night — his father and 
mother were sitting by a table, on which a lamp with a 
shade over it was placed, shedding its light on his mother, 
who was knitting and his father reading a book. 

Presently they knelt down side by side, and he could see 
they were offering up their evening prayer. 

John was wonderstruck, and exclaimed, “This beats all I 
have ever seen in all my life!” 

“Do you recognize the people?” said the Princess. 

“Certainly,” said John, “they are my parents.” 

“Now do you wonder how I can tell what you are doing 
when I am not near you? I have simply to wish what I 
want to see, and the globe will tell me, or rather show me; 
for when you see the scene before you that will convince 
you without doubt. 

“We have thousands of these globes to show us all we 
wish to see. 

“We call them our electric fortune-tellers, they tell us 
the truth only.” 

Lots of other wonderful things the Princess showed 
John, such as beautiful birds that would eat out of your 
hand. 


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The most gorgeous flowers of every conceivable color 
and odor 5 beautiful works of art, pictures and statuary 
too numerous to mention. 

In this way they traversed one hall after another, each 
surpassed the former in beauty and grandeur. 

When at last they entered the private apartments of the 
king and queen, to whom the Princess presented John; he 
was cordially received. They talked to him in Martianese, 
and John replied in that language, for strange to say as soon 
as he put on the suit of clothes he wore, he forgot his native 
language and understood everything that was spoken to 
him. 

The king informed him that his daughter, the Princess, 
had taken a trip to his world, and had managed to fall in 
love with him, a strange thing, but notwithstanding as 
soon as John was ready they would let her go back to the 
earth again, and if he wished it, she could go and live with 
him as his bride and wife, for they realized that their lives 
were drawing to a close, and others would take their place, 
but they added, their daughter should do as she liked, in 
John’s world, she would no doubt live to a more advanced 
age than in theirs. 

So the queen kissed him, the king embraced him, and 
John bid the Princess good-night, and was then con- 
ducted to his chamber for rest. 

John had such a good time in this new country, that 
before he knew it, the three weeks came to a close, and 
he was notified that everything was in readiness for his 
departure. 

Of course he was delighted to know that the Princess 
would accompany him, so after bidding the king and 


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queen goody-by, a beautiful electric carriage made of pure 
silver that glistened in the sunlight like an immense jewel, 
drew up, in it they seated themselves, and away it sped 
through the same beautiful grounds, by lovely fountains, 
through sweet smelling flowers, and finally halted at the 
entrance of the shaft that led down to the endless stairs. 

On their arrival, an immense crowd was on hand to bid 
them farewell, for the Princess was beloved by all who knew 
her; in whichever way you looked there could be seen 
banners and flowers worked into designs, in the shape of 
wreaths, crosses and pyramids, etc. 

Music could be heard everywhere, but in sad strains as 
if in mourning. 

Hundreds saluted, but not a smile could be seen, every- 
one was sad as if it were a funeral. 

In reality it might be considered as one; did not the 
Princess leave never to return? She had given up father, 
mother, home, friends, riches, everything, to go with John 
to his humble home on earth to live with him on his farm. 

But that was what she desired, she preferred happiness 
to everything else, she preferred love in a cottage with her 
choice. 

Again, was not life worth more than all the riches and 
splendor? 

At last they withdrew from her devoted friends and 
took their seats in one of the elevators, the signal was 
given and down! down! down! they went. John, who felt 
sorry for his bride, as she was weeping, put his arm around 
her, and to comfort her told her he would love her dearly, 
that she should never regret leaving her friends for he 
would love and cherish her, that it should be the aim of 


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his life to do everything to please her and make her 
happy. 

As they descended she ceased crying, and told John that 
on their journey to the earth she would let him get a 
glimpse of the Fairy-world, which they could see through the 
telescope, so when they reached the foot of the stairs, and 
entered the swinging pavilion, before entering their airship, 
they went to one of the openings and took a look at the 
firmament. 

The Princess gave John the telescope and told him to 
look, at first he saw, instead of stars, big balls of fire, but 
when he gazed longer, he perceived they were worlds with 
life on them. 

He could see things moving, but could not tell what they 
were. 

Presently as he looked, he saw a world that was inhabited, 
for he could see houses, people, and trees, rivers and moun- 
tains. 

She informed him that that was the Planet Jupiter passing 
by, that from where they stood, if they waited long enough, 
more than one planet could be seen passing by through 
space. 

“Look! Look! John!” she called his attention, “here 
comes the Fairies,” and sure enough, thousands of them 
could be seen floating in the air all in pure white, with 
silver wings glistening in the sunlight. 

Oh! it was a beautiful sight. 

“Your people,” she said, “call them Angels, they are on 
their way to their home in Heaven where all good people 
go. For God, who made this great universe, the stars, 
planets, and all the worlds, has his home there, and no one 


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can get there, until he first dies elsewhere; for first, he must 
be made pure in order to be fit for this new life so much 
spoken of in the Bible or Scriptures.” 

They now left the opening and she told John that if he 
desired, he could exchange his clothes again for the ones he 
wore when he first came or he could keep the ones he was 
dressed in, as they were very valuable. 

John preferred to keep the ones in his possession. He 
could imagine their great value, for the net jacket and 
trousers, made of gold thread, were literally covered with 
jewels, and the buttons were pure diamonds. The Princess 
skirt was fringed with precious stones; for gold, silver and 
jewels were abundant in Mars, and the only value they 
had for them were as ornaments worth about as much as 
beads are on earth. On her head she wore a cap trimmed 
with them, and the jacket she had on under her fur coat 
was also made of spun gold thread, even the big buttons 
on her fur coat were solid gold, and each was worth con- 
siderable money. Really their clothes alone were worth a 
fortune, leaving out what the Princess carried in her hand- 
bag, her toothbrush, hair-brush, combs and other articles, 
all of pure gold and jeweled. 

Before casting loose the fastenings from their electric 
airmotor machine, the Princess took her telescope and 
began looking down for some time, until John asked her 
what she was looking for? 

“I am watching your earth, and waiting until your side 
of the world comes up so that we can descend. 

“At present that part of the world you call China, which 
was towards us has passed, and now I cannot see anything 
but water, it must be your ocean, for you see we save more 


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165 


time by waiting for the earth to turn, than we should by 
following it as it turns. 

“Now we can make a start,” so they quickly cut loose 
and away they floated out into space, then down! down! 
down! oh! so quickly that they had to put covers over their 
faces, and John had to envelope himself in a long cloak, 
that was on the floor of the car. 

Down! and down! they went, until the Princess exclaimed, 
“Look out! we are getting to your home.” 

They sailed over villages, then around in a circle, and at 
last slowed down into one of John’s fields, right in amongst 
the wheat, which was golden ripe waiting to be harvested. 

It was about dark, everyone that had been at work during 
the day was at this time getting ready for their evening 
meal. 

John’s parents were sitting on the front porch in con- 
versation. They were saying that it was time for their 
son to be back, for the three weeks would expire that 
day. 

“Come mother,” let’s take a look around the place before 
supper, and see if there are any signs of him.” 

Both arose and walked out on the lawn — when — “Look! 
Look! Look! Father! what’s that?” 

“What’s what?” 

“Up yonder? up in the sky, don’t you see?” 

“Hello! that must be an airship.” 

“My goodness! it is coming down! Look dear! Come 
on! I do believe it’s going to land in the wheatfield. 

“Oh! my son. My dear! dear son! I am so glad to see 
you again!” were the exclamations of John’s mother, when 
she got to him. 


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“My dear boy!” said his father, “we thought you were 
dead. Thank God! what a blessing! and whom have we the 
pleasure to meet with you?” 

“This lady, father and mother, is the Princess Marselie, 
who has consented to be my wife and live with us, and be 
your daughter. 

“I am sure you will be pleased with her and love her, for she 
forsook all, everyone she loved in her country to be with me.” 

“Why certainly! we are more than pleased, and oh! 
what strange and valuable clothes you have on! and 
where have you been? and how is it we could not find out 
which way you went? How is it you came from above? 
and are covered with gold.” 

That was how they talked to John and the Princess, 
until they reached the house. 

When the lamp was lit, and the diamonds and other 
precious stones sparkled in the light, their amazement 
could not be described. 

To bring this story to a close, I must tell you that John 
and the Princess got married, that the people wondered 
where she came from, and how it was that John became 
so rich all at once. 

They sold a lot of the gems for money with which to 
improve the home. 

They built a new house and lived very happy in their 
nice country home. 

Our hero was considered a wonderful man, for every- 
thing he did turned out all right, and he became very 
prosperous and popular. 

His lovely wife, too, was equally beloved, because she 
was so kind to everyone. 


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167 


Once he asked the Princess how she would like to take a 
trip home? 

“Very much,” she replied, “but we have no way of getting 
there, our air machine has lost its power, and unless my 
private secretary will construct another one, and pay us a 
visit, I am afraid I shall never hear from home again. 

“The old man had not long to live and I shouldn’t be 
surprised in the least if he were dead by now.” 

She went on to say there was no one in Mars who would 
risk his life, to descend as low as she had, that even if she 
could, she never would want to risk her life in making 
another trip without proper means; so she would have to 
give it up for good and all. 

John consoled her by telling her that perhaps later, people 
of this earth would contrive some way to communicate 
with the people in Mars, as wonderful things are being 
done every day towards that point. 

John and his wife enjoyed themselves, and everyone who 
became acquainted with the Princess fell in love with her, 
she was so sweet and good. 

Remember I told you before she was taught from child- 
hood up to love everybody; and that’s the way I want you 
to be taught, my children, so that you may grow up to be 
like John and his wife; respected and honored by everyone; 
and that when you die, you will become one of the angels, 
and be gathered in that throng, which sits around the 
Throne of the Kingdom of Heaven. 


A Trip to the North Pole 


THE city of New York there lived at one 
time, adjoining one another, two families. 

The head of each family was a pro- 
fessional man; the one, a doctor, and the 
other a lawyer, and what seems strange 
they had their offices in another part of the 
city, side by side, with signs over their 
doors, one of which would read — “Dr. Charles Womack” 
and the other “Nathanial Roberts, Attorney-at-Law;” 
and what seems stranger still each owned a villa at the 
seashore, and the lands of each adjoined there. 

They had known each other ever since they were boys 
at school together, and both graduated at the same college, 
married sisters and kept up their intimate friendship until 
both were well on in years. 

Each had one son and one daughter; both nearly grown. 

Paul, the son of the doctor, had entered his eighteenth 
year, and Silas, frequently called “Si,” was one year Paul's 
junior. 

The sisters were several years older than their brothers, 
and so well reared that they were almost always found at 
home enjoying domestic life in preference to gadding 
around the country, visiting and gossipping. 

In the city, where the families resided during winter, 
the boys now and then took them to a theatre, and frequent- 
ly they had pleasant evening entertainments at home, 
to which they invited their intimate friends from the 
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169 


Sunday-school and sewing circle of which they were mem- 
bers. 

They were what you might term two well-bred concien- 
tious young Christian ladies, who were as inseparable as 
their fathers and mothers. 

During the summer, when they resided in the country, 
such innocent amusements, as boating, fishing, bathing 
and driving out in the pony carts, when Paul and Silas did 
not take them out in their automobile, were their chief 
enjoyments. 

But not with the two girls nor their parents has this 
story much to do, an account of Paul and Silas and their 
adventures is what we will endeavor to give. 

One day, when the school season was nearly ended, as 
they were on their way home, Paul remarked to Silas, 
“Say! Si! I have got an idea in this head of mine that I 
would like to carry out, and it will take some dollars to do 
it, but if you will work on your governor as I intend on mine, 
I do not think that the money question will bother us much. 

“You know that in about a week our dad’s will move us 
to their rural reservation; mine has already given orders 
to commence packing up, and three months is an awful 
long time to bask in the sunshine and smell salt water on 
the beach. 

“Remember last year we made a steam launch which 
proved quite a success. I have an idea that instead of 
sailing on the water this summer we will sail in the air. 

“I have the plan down fine; all I want is your valuable 
assistance if I can get it, and if we make a success of it, 
I know we shall have a glorious time; it will be something 
to astonish the natives.” 


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“Well now, my dream has come true at last; don’t you 
know, Paul!” said Silas, “I dreamed the other night you and 
I had made two sets of wings that we could slip our arms 
into and fly like birds without hardly any physical exertion 
on our part, and that you and I flew all around our place 
in the country, and one old farmer who could not see well 
thought we were eagles, and got his gun to shoot us thinking 
perhaps we would carry away some of his young lambs, and 
when he blazed away I awoke and found myself lying on the 
floor; I must have rolled out of bed.” 

Paul laughed as he answered Silas: “I remember the 
other evening, old boy, when you took supper with us, I 
could not help noticing the amount of plum pudding you 
put away, and then on top of that you drank that wine 
papa offered you; that accounts for you nightmare, only 
this time it happened to be a bird of prey instead of a 
quadruped; but laying all jokes aside, come over to our 
house tonight after tea, and come up to my room and we 
will talk it all over. 

“Alright!” said Silas, “I will be on time. If we were out 
in the country I would fly over, and with a knowing smile 
he went on his way home, remarking to himself, “I bet it is 
an airship he is contemplating building, but he will have 
to make it large enough to put in two pairs of wings, and I 
will have to hurry and finish the other pair; I lost so much 
time trying the others, and I want them to be alright so 
they will work well, or he will make all manner of fun 
because I told him my dream; I am glad I did not tell him 
that part of the dream that gave me the idea of how to 
make them!” 


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171 


That night after supper Si went over to Paul's, and was 
closeted with him over two hours planning, drawing, in- 
venting different parts, discarding some plans and making 
others, consulting directories, hunting up advertisements, 
trying to find out where different things could be bought, 
and also the best; for you must know the money question, 
or price did not bother them when they had in view an 
object to perfect. 

They had unlimited facilities at their command, as their 
parents were well-to-do people, and the pocket money each 
received to do what he wanted with was really a snug sum, 
quite as much as some merchants had as capital in their 
business. 

What they had to do was to tell their fathers that they 
wanted to experiment in some mechanical contrivance, and 
as that was a hobby of both of the old boys, which neither 
had time to indulge in, they would be more than pleased to 
humor their boys in it to their hearts' content, and then have 
a good laugh over it if it turned out a failure. 

Neither of the old people had forgotten the circum- 
stance, that once their boys, after a great deal of secrecy, 
perfected, as they thought, a milking machine, which when 
they strapped it on a cow's back caused her to become un- 
manageable and break out of the stable and run around 
the barn lot, dragging the rubber hose between her hind 
legs, making her look as if nature had created her with 
two caudel appendages instead of one. 

This is what they said when they met that morning 
one hour after it happened, both talking at the same time: 
Nat! ha! ha! fine thing! Did you see it? Another new 
invention! milking machine! works fine! ha! ha! Milk maid 


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played out! all you have to do is to buckle on the machine, 
the cow will do the rest! famous! I guess the cow is resting 
now, the way she took it around the lot reminded me of a 
Spanish bull fight, she did not need prodding. 

I tell you our boys will yet make their mark in the 
scientific world. Such brains in young heads I never 
heard of, but we will not discourage them, we have had 
our failures, too, in experimenting. 

Do you remember the time when you and I went down to 
the village smithy, how we tampered with his bellows, 
and do you remember, when the blame thing popped as if 
a gun went off, and old Johnson drove us out of his shop and 
afterwards sent a bill to our dads for ten dollars, saying he 
had to have a new pair of bellows, claiming that it was our 
fault they burst? 

In this way the two old friends would converse until either 
the breakfast, dinner or supper bell rung, or a servant came to 
remind them that everyone was waiting for them at the table. 

Well, when Paul and Silas parted that night they had 
everything arranged, and the next time we see them it is 
at their country home, near the beach in an open place. 

They had an enclosure made about one hundred and fifty 
feet long by fifty feet wide, with doors to it which they kept 
locked. 

Inside of this enclosure they erected a shed, the outside 
of which was covered with canvas; inside of this shed they 
had work benches with all kinds of tools, such as machinists 
and carpenters would use. 

Every day for a certain length of time they would be in 
there at work, now and then you would hear a knocking 
and filing and a low conversation. 


Modern Fairy Tales 


173 


Now and then there were parcels and boxes brought and 
left outisde of the doors, and when those that brought them 
had departed the young inventers would lug them in. 

This secret work had been kept up for over a month, when 
one day, to the surprise of the curious, they were seen taking 
the roof off the shed. 

The next thing Paul and his conferee gave notice to their 
folks that they were invited specially, and everyone else 
that chose to come, to see the great mystery which was 
about to be exposed. 

The news traveled far and wide, and soon everyone in 
the surrounding districts had heard it. 

Now I want to tell you what they had made before I go 
further. 

What do you think it was? It was a first-class airship, 
with rudders to steer it, and with an engine that worked by 
electricity to propel it, and an immense inflated rubber 
and, p ^ik bag to raise it up in the sky; and they had it so 
arranged that the engine which did the propelling would 
also manufacture gas for the bag. 

The car which was suspended by ropes was so made that 
fire and water could not damage it, nor the gas bag, which 
was collapsible at the will of the owner, and could be stowed 
away in the car. 

The car also had a top for it which could be drawn over 
it for protection when not in use. It was arranged so snug 
and firmly that if it should happen to drop into the water 
it would float like a cork. 

Attached to the outside of the car was a set of rubber- 
tired wheels; these were composed of the finest steel spokes 


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and rims, and so geared that the engine, by reversing levers, 
would propel the car on land as well as in the air. 

The same propeller which speeded the ship in the air 
would act likewise on the water. 

They took the precaution to engage privately a dozen 
men to act as a guard to keep off the more inquisitive ones, 
for fear they would cause a failure or hitch in their first 
trial trip. 

Twelve o’clock the following day was the time set for 
the start, if everything should work satisfactorily. 

They contemplated, with the consent of their parents, 
making a more extended tour at another time. 

The places they were to visit were not as yet thought about. 

Promptly at the time mentioned there had gathered an 
immense crowd around the enclosure. 

Some of the boys were trying to climb on top of the fence, 
but the guard, who understood their business, promptly 
caught them, and threatened that, if they did not behave 
and keep off the fence, they would be locked up until e ry- 
thing was over; and, consequently, they would not behold 
the ascention, so beautiful order was kept on the grounds. 

Foremost among the spectators could be seen the doctor, 
Mrs. Womack and all their intimate friends; Silas’ father 
and mother, and all their friends. 

Lots of people came from all parts to see the wonderful 
sight — some by trolley cars and in private conveyances, 
and some came afoot. All the talk during the two weeks 
past was speculation as to what it could be? 

Some had an idea it was a managerie or circus; others 
thought it was a steamboat; all sorts of conjectures were 
made. 


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175 


The most interested spectators were the fathers of our 
boys. 

The doctor and his crony had previously made several 
bets on it. One, that it was a submarine boat, the other, 
a balloon. 

But didn't the peoples' eyes open when Paul ordered the 
fence taken down, which was done in a few minutes, for it 
was so constructed that it could be unfastened at the top 
and laid down flat so as not to obstruct the view, and after- 
wards set up again just as quickly to form an enclosure. 

They gazed with all the eyes they had, but there was 
nothing to be seen but an open kind of boat with wheels 
on the side and a network of ropes and canvas piled on top 
of it. 

Paul and his chum raised their arms to command silence, 
and then Paul delivered a short address to the people, 
thanking them for the interest they took in scientific work, 
and told them that they must be sure to remain in their 
places while he and his partner made an ascent. 

He cautioned them not to venture past the boards into 
the space reserved for themselves, as they had a great 
deal of trouble and incurred not a little expense in fitting 
out this airship. 

He had to stop then for a minute or two, for his father and 
Silas' father were in an excited argument, which was drown- 
ing his speech. 

One was persisting that it was a balloon, and the other, 
protested: Whoever heard of a balloon that wasn't filled 
with gas? that it required gas for the thing to go up, but 
that the doctor could have his way if it suited him, not a 
penny was he going to pay until he saw it go up. 



I 176 | 







Modern Fairy Tales 


177 


So after they had finished their altercation, Paul finished 
his address, and then both boys stepped over to the airship, 
as we shall call it, got into it, and disappeared under the 
cloth and ropes. 

Presently the lot of cloth we spoke of began to bulge up, 
gradually getting bigger and bigger, then expanded until 
it reached an immense size. 

The ropes that were attached to it now became visible 
and got taut, and everyone could see the car with our young 
friends sitting in it. 

The people began to cheer, and slowly the airship rose to 
leave the earth. 

Silas could be seen at the stern, with one hand holding a 
lever and with the other waving the Stars and Stripes. 

Paul, who sat at the forward end with a signal cord in 
one hand and a field glass in the other, keeping a sharp 
lookout in the direction they were going. 

So up and up they went until they appeared to be no 
larger than pigmies. 

Now the ship was seen to go first around in a complete 
circle, then on a zig-zag course, finally it went away off, 
and everyone thought it was gone for good, but, after a 
while, it was seen coming back, getting larger and larger, 
and lower and lower, and at last it hovered over their 
heads, then gently settled down on mother earth, in just 
exactly the same place from which it first started. 

You may conclude there was a demonstration, such a 
whooping and cheering as could be heard for nearly a mile. 

Paul and Silas, after packing everything well and snug, 
drew the cover over the airship went among the visitors, 
who congratulated them on their success. 


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Reporters for several newspapers asked them all kinds of 
questions; wanted to know what they were going to do? 
When they expected to make another trip? Which way 
they were going to travel? and lots of other questions that 
did not concern them, but our young inventors were dis- 
creet and gave their questioners no more information than 
really was necessary. 

They asked them kindly not to have sensational items 
regarding the affair inserted in their papers, for they did not 
like publicity. 

The boys might as well have spoken to the wind, it did 
not have any more effect. 

The very next day, and for a week following, whole 
columns were devoted to the airship, illustrating it in 
every conceivable way, both going up and coming down. 

They were besieged with the greatest number of visitors 
every day, until it became monotonous. 

They could, if they had wished to, have made a lot of 
money by charging a fee to view their invention, but they 
did not need to do this, and they did not want every- 
one to see it at once, for then the novelty would soon wear 
off. 

Having gotten permission of their parents to make an 
extended trip of a month’s duration in their airship, they 
began to make preparation by laying in quite a supply of 
provisions, consisting of bread and meat, canned fruits and 
vegetables. 

They also purchased a couple of first-class magazine guns 
that would fire ten to twelve times without reloading, and 
plenty of ammunition. 


Modern Fairy Tales 


179 


They also placed on board a powerful searchlight, and 
numerous other valuable ascessories, for which they might 
find use. 

One evening after they had completed everything and 
were ready to make a start in the morning, should the 
weather be favorable, Paul advised Silas to spend the 
night with him so that they would be together in the 
morning, and having no occasion for delay make the 
ascension as early as possible, before any of their people 
were stirring, and so avoid all manner of sentimental 
demonstrations of a parting that would unnerve them at 
the last minute. 

Silas complied with Paul's request, and that night, after 
supper, he hastened to his chum. 

They once more took notes of everything they had done 
and what they intended to do and where they intended to 
go, and promptly at ten o'clock offered up their evening 
devotion, retired to bed, and were soon in the land of dreams. 

CHAPTER THE SECOND 

It was in the morning, bright and early, before Old Sol 
had begun to notify that part of the world that he was 
going to throw his darts in every direction, that our boys 
were up and at work, pumping gas into their immense bag 
of silk and rubber, and by the time the fowls began to be 
seen in the barnyard, getting ready for their morning meal, 
and the man of all work bathing the sleep out of his eyes 
at the pump, our friends were a long way from home. 

As for their destination, they concluded that as so many 
had tried to see how far north they could go, and yet no 


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one had been able to get to the pole, *that this should be 
their destination. 

Nothing nearer would satisfy them. 

Everyone heretofore who traveled north in the Arctic 
Zone, traveled by land, sea and ice; and couldn’t get beyond 
a certain distance before they were blocked by icebergs 
and drifting ice, and severe cold weather, and a long dark 
winter. 

The long time taken in traveling caused them to be 
always almost overtaken by darkness. 

Our boys did not have slow motion to contend with for, 
in the first place, they could make a distance in one day 
which took months for those who traveled by sea or on ice. 

If a windstorm came up they could soar either above or 
below it. 

The same if it rained, they could pick their waves in the 
sky above, as the captain of a vessel could steer his course 
at sea. 

With compass they could tell which way they were going; 
so far they had been continually heading due North. 

In the course of a day or two it began to get very cold, 
for they had passed the boundary of Russia and were forging 
straight ahead. 

Silas, who had put on a fur coat, threw another to Paul, 
remarking, “I tell you Paul, I think we shall soon pass the 
Arctic Circle, hadn’t we better try it a little higher? for the 
iceburg we just passed over, the top of came near touching 


*Since this story was written, a matter of a year or two, it is claimed that 
Peary had reached the furthest latitude north, and the honor of discovering 
the North Pole, whether he really did, is not for me to say. 


The Author. 


Modern Fairy Tales 


181 


us, we ought to be careful and not run any risk, we should 
make poor headway home if our car should get demolished. ” 

“You’r right Si! I will let her go up higher, for in my 
opinion the higher we go, the nearer the Sun we shall be, 
and, therefore, I judge it will be more pleasant for us. 

I think after we get her the right height we will let her go 
along slow so we can get a bite to eat. 

You might put the coffeepot on the gas stove and let it 
get warm for I am quite chilly, and some warm coffee to 
drink won’t go bad after this cold spell. 

Do you feel the difference now?” 

“You bet I do!” said Si, “I would not go any higher now 
for the air smells sulphurous, and it will spoil my breakfast.” 

After they had partaken of some refreshments it suddenly 
became very dark, and they could not see each other. 

“Turn on the light Si, quick!” Paul said. 

“All right! as soon as I can find the button.” 

It took him some time to find it, and when he did it would 
not work. 

“Great goodness Paul!” Si exclaimed, “what shall we do? 
this is too bad! I remember now I forgot to connect the 
wires to the searchlight before we started, and I don’t 
know how I shall be able to do it now in this darkness.” 

“You wait until I get over there, but first let me fasten 
this lever so it can’t move, it doesn’t make much difference 
for we are travelling due North anyhow, perhaps I can find 
the end of the wire to connect it. 

“I have a pocket battery with a small incandescent light 
that will help me to find it.” 

“How nice in you that you thought of so small a thing, 
I really never thought to carry one,” remarked Si. 


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“I don’t deserve your praise,” answered his friend, “I 
happened to have it in my pocket the night before we left 
home. 

“I use it to see what time it is, frequently in the night, 
for I never sleep in a room with a lamp burning, prefer its 
being dark; I can sleep better. 

“The little gem saves me lots of trouble when looking 
for anything in the dark, for all I have to do is to press the 
button and it will do the rest, as the fellow said who wanted 
to sell me a Kodak.” 

While Paul was talking, and Si was taking his place at 
the stern, it began to grow lighter, and by the time Paul 
had connected the wires, it had gotten bright day again, 
so there wasn’t any use for the light at all right then. “Look! 
look! Paul! what is that you see?” said Silas, pointing down, 
for just then the clouds parted beneath them, and on one 
side they saw a tremendous world of ice; which, as the sun 
was shining on it, reflected every color of the rainbow; it 
was so dazzling that it hurt their eyes to look at it, and 
when they gazed down on the other side they saw an 
immense body of water, and away off in the distance they 
beheld what looked to them to be a chain of moun- 
tains. 

It began now to get a good deal warmer, so they con- 
cluded to drop lower, thinking it would be a good thing to 
settle down on the earth once more to get a wink of sleep, 
and also lay in a fresh supply of water to drink, for during 
the last six hours they had been drinking such water as 
they had been able to catch in the clouds; and they wanted 
a change anyhow, for sitting still so long was beginning to be 
tiresome. 


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183 


Paul, who was navigating the airship, pulled a lever, 
which let some of the gas out of the bag, and the ship began 
to settle; and Si, who had his fieldglass in his hand, kept a 
sharp lookout to see where they should land. 

Before them was spread out a beautiful panorama. 

Lovely green fields, towering green hills, and here and 
there could be seen what resembled houses; so they con- 
cluded they would not land too near any of these, but 
rather pick out some open place on one of the hills. 

This they did and quietly and gently reached terra-firma. 

The first thing they did after landing the ship was to 
fix everything snug and nice about it; then they got their 
nautical instruments to see in what part of the world they 
had landed. 

Taking into consideration the course they had been 
steering, for this was something they had learned at school 
studying geography, mathematics and all those things, 
that I don’t know anything about; so by figuring quite a 
while they came to the conclusion that they had gone far 
beyond the Arctic Circle; further than anyone had ever 
been; had passed the sea of ice, and knew they had reached 
the end of the world, or were inside of the North Pole; and 
that this beautiful country, that looked like an earthly 
paradise, the air of which was so invigorating and refreshing 
was the long sought place that so many had lost their lives 
in trying to reach. 

So they sat down on the green grass and viewed their 
situation and determined what next they should do. 

After they had rested quite a while, Silas suggested that 
they should first take a walk around the hill and see what 
was visible in the distance, and that as a precaution they 


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should take their guns along, not knowing what might 
happen to them or who might attack them in this strange 
country. 

So they walked along side by side to the edge of the hill, a 
distance of about a quarter of a mile, but nothing could 
they see but some beautiful flowers like our violets, only 
about four times as large. 

Stooping down Silas picked up something that glistened 
in the sun, and after examining it, handed it to Paul, who 
was impressed with the idea that it was a diamond, but he 
would not be certain until he could test it, and he put it in 
his pocket for future investigations. 

Suddenly a flock of beautiful birds flew around them. 

Paul raised his gun to shoot into them but Silas re- 
strained him, begging him to wait a few moments and see 
what they would do. 

The birds began to circle nearer and nearer to them, and 
presently they hovered over them a moment, then alighted 
at their feet, just like a lot of chickens, only they were a 
great deal tamer. 

When our boys held out their hands just for fun, they 
flew on their shoulders, and coo’ed like doves, as much as 
to say, ain’t you going to treat us? 

Silas who had some crackers in his pockets, for he never 
went anywhere without carrying something to eat with 
him, got out a cracker, crumbled up some, and the birds 
ate out of his hand. 

Our explorers admired the beautiful birds very much; 
in color they were red, green and golden. 

When the birds had been fed they flew away, and the boys 
watched them to see in what direction they went. 


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After taking an observation they went back to the ship, 
but just before getting there they noticed a queer looking 
animal creeping out of a hole in the ground. 

It was about the size of an English rabbit with a head 
shaped like a pig, and four short legs, not over two inches 
long. 

It had large eyes and a bright red bushy tail. 

Paul knocked it over with the butt of his gun and killed 
it; they afterwards skinned and cleaned it, cut it up and 
cooked it, and found it fine eating. 

It was now getting time for them to prepare a suitable 
place to sleep, and they decided to use their airship tempo- 
rarly for their sleeping quarters, as they would feel safer 
ensconced in that, than to be on the outside, not knowing 
who might trouble them while in the realms of sleep. 

It was well they did so, for, no sooner were their eyes 
closed in sleep, than hundreds of the before-mentioned 
birds flew down on them, literally covering the airship, and 
such a noise they made cooing that our boys were bound to 
awaken. 

At first they did not know what to do, but Silas said, 
“Just wait, Paul! I’ll fix them, this is too much of a good 
thing; I will do a little shooting now in self-defense.” 

He reached for his gun and immediately began fireing 
into them, but he was able to kill only one- after the smoke 
cleared away, only one could be seen. 

Before going to sleep again they picked the bird and 
prepared it for their next meal. 

Next day, after they had cooked and eaten their morning 
repast, they prepared to make a more extended explora- 
tion of this new country. 


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Paul suggested to Silas that they might travel in the 
ship by land and make use of the wheels attached to the 
car. But Silas, who just then thought of something that 
had slipped his memory, told Paul he thought it too venture- 
some to run the airship, perhaps among a lot of barbarians, 
and get some of the gearing broken traveling over an un- 
known land without a beaten road, and consequently not 
knowing what sort of holes they might get into. 

Another thing he had something stowed away in the ship, 
that he, Paul, had never dreamed about. 

While speaking, he rummaged in the bottom of the boat 
and presently brought out a bundle, which he untied and 
displayed before Paul. 

The bundle, which consisted of two pair of attachable 
wings, so constructed of fine steel rods, like the ribs of an 
umbrella and covered with the best white silk of the 
toughest quality. 

They were made to open and shut like a fan at the will 
of the manipulator. 

He showed Paul how to strap on a pair and instructed 
him fully how to use them, told him not to be too quick 
until he had learned how to control them, and not to fly 
too high. 

Paul, who was listening and looking, was speechless for 
the time being; he was so taken by surprise, but, neverthe- 
less, did as Si told him, fastened them on and began to flop 
them and raise them up and down, and before he knew 
what he had done he found himeslf turned upside down, 
and the next thing Si saw was Paul standing on his head in 
the grass; he could not refrain from laughing at the sorry 


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figure Paul presented, but righted him up and gave him 
several lessons in manipulating them. 

Inside of an hour Paul could fly just as well as Silas. 

They really found it quite a novelty, such a peculiar 
sensation; it was so delightful to just work their arms and 
fly like huge birds. 

Being now ready to make a flying trip around the vicinity, 
after first buckling on a revolver apiece, for they could not 
carry guns, they being too heavy, they spread their wings 
and flew down the hill for about a mile in the direction of the 
houses before spoken of. 

In front of one of the houses they perceived a beautiful 
grove of trees, around which they flew several times, finally 
alighting near a lovely fountain built of purest marble, 
with a golden figure of a water-nymph or naiad in the 
center, holding a trumpet to her mouth, out of which was 
ejected a fine spray of water that circled over and around 
the fountain basin. 

While they stood there admiring the beautiful work, 
who should step out of the fountain but two beautiful young 
maidens, who, without any embarressment whatever, 
accosted them in some unknown language, which our boys, 
try as much as they would, could not comprehend, though 
the maidens spoke in a clear and distinct bell-like voice. 

Finding they were not understood they made signs, 
pointing at the wings then up to the sky, as much as to ask 
whether our boys came from there, or if they were Angels 
come down from above. 

But our boys shook their heads, pointed South, and 
tried to make them understand that they came from that 
direction. 



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The two maidens seemed to be puzzled, and held a little 
conversation between themselves, finally they both ad- 
vanced and held out their hands, which our heroes both 
promptly took and kissed. 

The gallant act caused the maidens both to blush and 
feel embarrassed for a time, evidently it did not seem to be 
the fashion with them to be received in that way. 

Now, before we go any further, I want to tell you how 
these fair maidens were garbed. 

Their dress was very simple, consisting of a tight or close, 
fitting garment, cut low at the neck, short at the arms, 
and reaching a little below the knees. It was made of the 
finest spun gold thread, so woven as to give them free use of 
their limbs, but fitted snugly to their bodies to below the 
waist, where it hung full like a skirt. 

Around the waist they wore a belt made of the same 
material, clasped with big silver buckles, in the center of 
which was a large diamond. 

Their lower limbs to the knees were bare, with the ex- 
ception of the soles of their feet, on which sandals were 
strapped. 

They wore their hair hanging loose down the back, 
clasped at the top with bands of gold. 

Paul and Silas could not help admiring them, they looked 
so innocent, and they wondered what their sisters would say 
if they were to meet them. 

But the maidens did not seem to mind the boys gazing 
at them, evidently the costume they had on was what 
they were in the habit of wearing. 

So after looking at each other awhile like strange children 
at school, the maidens beckoned our boys to follow them, 


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which, nothing loth, they did, but all the while observing 
the way they went, so that if they should want to return to 
their ship they would know exactly the route to travel, 
and not get lost in case anything should happen to their 
wings, which would compel them to return on foot. 

The maidens could not help looking back at them every 
now and then, to assure themselves that they were following, 
I suppose. 

After leaving the fountain, our heroes were led along a 
lovely walkway, bordered on each side with shrubs and 
sweet smelling flow T ers, the fragrance of which affected their 
nostrils so pleasantly that they imagined they were in a 
kind of Paradise. 

After they had been walking for about five minutes in a 
half circle, they came in view of one of those houses that we 
spoke of a while back. 

When they approached the entrance their ears w T ere 
greeted with the sound of music so entrancingly sweet that 
they had to stop to listen to it. 

Never in all their lives before had they heard anything 
to compare with it. 

So enchanting, so fascinating, such unearthly sweetness; 
but the maidens beckoned them to come along, of course 
they went, and finally came to what they thought was the 
entrance, or what we shall so call it. 

The house proper was built of solid square blocks of marble. 

The front entrance, as well as the rear, was an immense 
arch, with grated doors of shining brass. 

On each side was a smaller entrance or door, at which a 
guard was stationed with a large bow and quiver of arrows 
strapped to his back and holding in his hand a long javeling, 


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191 


which is a long wooden stick with a metal point like an 
arrow-head secured to the end, with which to prick any 
animal that should attempt to pass the gate. 

The maidens whispered something to the guards, who 
bowed to them and to our boys. 

They were then conducted through the gateway and 
entered a long wide passage or hall, which was illuminated 
with glass globes, filled with a wonderful light. 

It was wonderful, for as Paul examined one of these 
lamps, he couldn’t see what caused the brilliant light, as 
there were no burners, no wicks, only a solid white brilliant 
ball or globe of glass, without any opening for oil, wick, 
burner or wire. 

All he could see was that it gave a powerful light. 

It was what he called a bottled light, a light in a bottle 
without stopper, to all appearance the light seemed blown 
into the glass, a curiosity such as the world we live in had 
never seen. 

A mystery to both of them. 

When they came to the end of the hall the maidens 
parted two immense portieres, and they entered a magnifi- 
cent auditorium, illuminated with hundreds of these globes, 
which made the room almost as bright as day. 

At one end of this room was a raised platform covered 
with a beautiful carpet of many colors, on which were 
about twenty-four young girls each playing on a strange 
instrument somewhat resembling a harp; these, with their 
voices, made the sweet music our friends heard. 

„ As they entered the music ceased, and they were at once 
surrounded by a number of young men and women, all 
dressed alike. 


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They made all manner of gestures to them which our 
boys did not understand, so Paul touched one of the young 
men on the arm and drew him to the platform, which they 
mounted, so that they were in full view of the rest of the 
company. 

He then informed Silas that he was going to try to talk to 
them in such a way that they would comprehend. 

When he raised his arms every one was silent. 

First, he pointed heavenward, then to Silas, then him- 
self, and shook his head, by which he gave them to under- 
stand that he was a mortal just as they were. 

Then he spent some time touching different things, nam- 
ing them and asking their names, which he immediately 
wrote down in a little notebook he carried in his pocket. 
By these means he got them to comprehend who he and 
Silas were, what part of the world they came from, and how 
large that world was, and so forth. 

After a little while the young men induced our aeronauts 
to follow them into another spacious room, where a splendid 
repast was spread on low tables surrounded by couches and 
divans, on which they were motioned to recline. 

Our young friends nothing loth did as they were bid. 

When they were all placed around the table, a large gong 
which was suspended in the dome was struck, and all 
bowed their heads, and a murmur was heard throughout 
the room, as they offered up thanks for the repast, then the 
gong was struck again, and every one began to eat. 

Now I must tell you what their menue consisted of: 
everything was served in large round bowls, not made of 
china, glass, or silver, but of the purest gold. 

First, there were two kinds of meat — birds and fish. 


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The fish was roasted or baked whole, and was in the shape 
of a five-pointed star, it tasted very much like our soft 
crabs, and the bird was baked in a pie, and was seasoned 
with some kind of herb, which made them very palatable. 

Then there were all kind of fruits and dainties. 

Our young friends enjoyed their meal very much, but 
when they drank some of the water, of which there was 
plenty in quart mugs of embossed silver, they felt a sudden 
thrill go all over them that seemed virtually to affect every 
nerve in them. 

This water, of which I will tell you later was all the drink 
they had; it took the place of tea, coffee, wine and milk. 

There were several things our friends noticed, namely: 
They did not use forks and knives for everything was so 
tender and nicely cooked that the only thing needed to 
convey the food to the mouth was a spoon. Those used 
were of gold. 

Each person had his or her allowance put before him, 
and just enough so as not to leave a waste. 

There was perfect silence during the repast, consequently 
there was no time wasted while eating. 

There was another thing they noticed: of all the people 
they saw, both male and female, not one looked old or sick, 
everyone appeared young, happy and in good spirits. 

Paul and Silas pretty soon felt at home with these people, 
who never tired of showing their hospitality. 

By using signs they began to pick up some of their 
language, and were surprised to find out that the water 
they drank was so invigorating, that it had the effect of 
making them feel younger every day they drank it. 


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It was the elixer that preserved the people so well, that 
time had no effect on them. 

Some of the men, they were told, who looked no older than 
our boys, were really over two hundred years old. 

The two maidens, whom they first met at the fountain, 
they found out to be old enough to be their grandmothers. 

Another thing I want to tell you about these people is 
that they were all innocent of any crime in any form, they 
were, so to speak, innocent as Adam and Eve were when 
in the garden of Eden. 

Marriage was unknown; every one was as brother and 
sister. 

Wives and husbands they never heard of. When our 
boys became somewhat fluent in their language; they told 
them of the parents and friends they had left behind, and 
they did not know what to make of it. 

They informed Paul that there were some graves in a 
certain part of their country, that were believed to contain 
the bodies of some persons supposed at one time to have 
been aged and gray-haired, weak and feeble before the 
breath left their bodies; as for themselves, they never knew 
what sickness was. 

In regard to money, riches and wine, they were in com- 
plete ignorance. 

Of their origin they could tell nothing; they were always 
here, and that satisfied them. 

Did any of them ever get killed? 

Oh! yes! once, they lost a brother by drowning, and once 
several got burnt up; but since then, ever so many had 
made their appearance among them, only they did not 
have wings. 


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195 


How did they appear, and where? 

Oh! at the point of this land, pointing north, they first 
came in a cloud and had remained with them ever since. 

Paul and Silas were mystified by such information, but 
concluded when they had the opportunity they would 
certainly try to solve this mystery of perpetual life, and at 
no distant time. 

It was something worth striving for, particularly this 
never-ending youthful appearance. 

They each kept a pocket diary, in which they wrote all 
that was told them of importance, and were also very care- 
ful not to do or say things that would have a tendency 
perhaps to cause hard feelings in the minds of their new- 
found friends. 

They were treated very much as if they were brothers 
instead of strangers, nothing was hid from them, secrets 
W'ere unknown here. 

They learned how to play on the golden harps and to 
sing some of their sweet songs. 

They attended their devotional exercises, for these people 
claimed only one God — their Jehovah, and looked for the 
time to come when they never more would suffer from 
hunger, which was the only ailment they ever had, for, of 
course, they had to till the soil and work to raise food. 

As for clothes, they did not need them, except for orna- 
ment; that was why each and every one wore only a golden 
skirt with a belt. 

The climate was balmy, frosts were unknown, and ex- 
cessive heat also; it was more like a perpetual spring. 

Our boys enjoyed themselves to their hearts’ content. 


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They showed the people how they could fly with their 
wings; they exhibited their airship, and all wondered how 
they could perfect such an invention. 

Oh! it was very pleasant to live with these people, who 
knew no sin, and never heard of Satan and his tempta- 
tions. 

Our boys, like all other boys, or like most boys born in the 
United States, began now to weary of this monotony; of 
course they helped all they could in work to pass the time; 
could kiss and hug any of the girls if they wanted to; but 
who would want to kiss maidens two hundred years old? 
even if they did look young and beautiful; the very thought 
was a horror to them; they were beginning to get homesick; 
wanted to see their parents and friends once more. 

Perhaps if they could have had them there they would 
have been better satisfied. 

The longer they stayed the more they wanted to get 
away, and one day they mentioned the matter, and the 
people raised no objection, only were sorry that they wanted 
to leave them. 

Paul proposed that they should stay long enough with 
them to help them build another airship, in which some of 
them could accompany them. 

The proposition met with approval, but when the list 
was made out for the things required, no silk and rubber 
could be found, as these two articles were unknown here. 

It required more of that than anything else to make the 
gas bag. 

Brass, gold, silver and wood, were here in abundance, 
but nothing of the textile order as wool, cotton, silk and 
rubber. 


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197 


The truth was they could utilize the skins of such animals 
as lived here, but that was not sufficient; consequently, 
they had to abandon the project. 

It was a comfort to them that their ship was all right, or 
they would have been in a bad fix as to ever getting back 
home again. 

But home wasn’t just then their object; they wanted 
first to explore until they reached the extreme northern 
point of the earth. 

Referring to their diary we find them one day, it was 
Monday, after they had put their airship in perfect order, 
informing their new friends that they were going to make a 
short trip through the clouds to find out where their friends 
who had appeared so suddenly, came from, and did not 
know from whence they came. 

All held up their hands in horror and dismay when 
they learned the destination our boys contemplated, and 
declared that if they ventured in that direction they surely 
would be destroyed by fire. 

Every one who came that way said they had to come 
through fire, but were carried through so fast in an iron 
cage or shell that the heat had no time to kill them, but 
that they w r ere nearly strangled and suffocatd by the 
heat and gas; all they could remember was that they were 
reared in innocence, and were never permitted to see any 
person but the women who reared them. 

After they had attained a certain age and size, one day 
they were taken and put in the iron receptable, which was 
filled with artificial air sufficient to keep them alive a 
certain length of time, and suddenly they found themselves 
propelled by some unknown force, and the next thing they 


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knew they were in this beautiful country, welcomed by 
these kind people with whom they were contented to live 
the remainder of their lives. 

This roused our boys’ curiosity more then ever, and they 
hesitated no longer, but told them they would go anyhow 
and see the place. 

Now, instead of going in the clouds, they concluded to go 
by land, and fixed their ship so as to run on wheels. 

When everything was ready they entered the ship, waved 
their friends a farewell, and sped rapidly away. 

The country being level and not obstructed by ravines, 
rocks and other obstacles, they made such rapid progress 
that after they had traveled about one hundred or one 
hundred and fifty miles due north the land began to get 
narrow, or rather they could only perceive clouds on either 
side of them; what was beyond them they were unable to 
tell, for ahead of them spread a vast stretch of level country 
destitute of vegetation. 

The air was beginning to get warmer and warmer, and 
finally it grew so hot that they were afraid to venture 
further. 

Hot steam rising in front of them prevented their seeing 
anything ahead; nothing but clouds of steam. 

So they came to a stop and decided not to venture further, 
the hot steam might ruin their airship, and they con- 
cluded to turn back. 

While they were in the act of turning around, something 
sped by them, “r-s-s-t.” 

It passed by so quickly that they could only see a round 
object, like an immense iron ball, forging ahead in the 


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199 


distance; nothing loth, they gave chase, and in a little 
while came up to what remained of it. 

The ball or shell had burst apart, and in place of it they 
beheld a beautiful young maiden, who stood wondering 
where she was. 

They accosted her in the language they had lately 
learned, and for a wonder she understood them. 

She told them the story they had already heard of how 
she was brought up, secluded from the rest of the world 
and people, and how she was served after reaching a certain 
age. 

They asked her how long she was in getting here? 

She told them it took only a few minutes; that she came 
so fast it nearly took her breath away, and it was, oh! so very 
hot. 

They examined the broken shell, found it made of a 
metal, like iron, and still quite warm. 

After a consultation they decided to take the maiden 
with them as far as their late friends, who, no doubt, would 
welcome her and provide for her. 

She gladly accepted a seat in the ship. 

It was late next day when they returned to their starting 
point, being no wiser than they were when they set out. 

Their late friends bid them welcome just the same, and 
begged them to stay. 

Our boys who now had their minds set on going home, 
could not be induced to prolong their visit, so their kind 
friends, finding all their persuasions unavailing, pressed 
them no longer, but loaded them with presents in the 
shape of gold and precious stones; seeing our friends valued 
them more than anything else. 



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201 


They were carefully stowed away in the bottom of the 
airship. 

They took along a considerable quantity of the life- 
giving water, also several of the wonderful bottled lights, 
and provisions, not that they needed the latter for they had 
quite a lot of the canned goods left, which they had taken 
along when they left home. 

The whole time they stayed in this paradise they did not 
eat their own food, the victuals of these people was so far 
superior to their own, that they did not relish canned 
meats, etc. 

What they accepted was merely as a curiosity to show 
their people when they reached home. 

After bidding all an affectionate good-by, they inflated their 
gas bag, entered their ship, which gently rose upward, and 
soon the country they had begun to love was left far behind. 

Now when they reached a certain height from the earth, 
they found it quite another matter to steer on a southern 
course, for they had to go up higher and higher, until they 
were far above the clouds; finally they struck an air current, 
that carried them in the right direction, which they kept 
for some time. 

Suddenly it became quite dark, but this time they opened 
up their searchlight, but could see nothing but clouds, 
clouds, clouds, and as they kept on, it began to get colder 
and colder, and they had to put on their fur coats; but 
onward they went, always due south. 

They were sailing along quite a while, both thinking of 
home, sweet home, when suddenly something struck them 
a fearful blow, the car they were in turned round and round, 
and all at once there was a loud explosion. 


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The gas bag had burst on one side, and they found 
themselves going down! down! down! finally, with a loud 
splash, they dropped in water. 

They never lost their presence of mind though, and they 
quickly cut loose the ropes that held the gas bag, which 
finally collapsed, they then hauled in the wet mass of silk 
and rubber, and stowed it away in the bottom of the ship. 
Silas, who was at the helm, told Paul to examine the motor 
and see if it was all right, remarking, “I call this a narrow 
shave; don’t you think so old boy?” 

Paul answered, “I tell you it certainly was; I thought the 
jig was up.” But he very soon had the machinery at 
work, and they found themselves moving along quite 
briskly. 

Taking an observation they found themselves some- 
where on the North Sea, traveling towards the British 
Isles. 

Their mishap was caused by sailing too low, and so 
coming in contact with the tip of an iceberg, which was 
floating in the North Sea. 

The impact caused the valve rope to break; consequently 
the gas bag was taking in too much gas, causing it to burst 
on one side; naturally the ship careened, graduating the 
escape of the gas, which saved their lives, as it was they 
came down very fast, but not so rapidly as to crush them 
on the water. 

On land it might have been worse. 

The damage they could very easily remedy when they 
had the opportunity, as for their being on the water, their 
ship was adapted for that as well as the air, so they were 


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203 


perfectly safe, only they were a long way from home, and 
had a much slower way of traveling. 

So the best thing for them to do was to make for the 
shore as quickly as possible, which they tried to do, but 
after two days’ bobbing along on the water they sighted a 
vessel, which proved to be a whaling ship. 

Hastely they put up a signal, and turned on their search- 
light, for it was beginning to get dark. They were seen; 
and when they came alongside were hauled aboard. 

When the captain of the whale ship had interviewed our 
boys, he told them pointblank that he believed no such 
yarn; they might tell that to the marines, he, himself, 
could not swallow such stuff; his sailors spun those yarns 
time and again on calm days to amuse themselves. 

Nevertheless he was puzzled “by the horn of Gibralter,” 
to know how two youngsters, that had nary a razor to their 
face, could get away out here in the middle of the North 
Sea; right in the passage of whales, in such a cockle shell 
of a boat with wheels on it. 

It took our boys some time to convince him of the truth 
of their statement. 

He had to examine their airship, which was stowed amid- 
ship, and have it explained to him how it worked. 

Gradually he began to comprehend, and complimented 
our young friends on their wonderful invention. 

But he was still more surprised, when Paul told him where 
they had been, and when he brought out one of the lights 
and its beams, like sunlight, penetrated every nook and 
corner of the deck, he was speechless. 

Paul told him who his father was, and where their home 
was, and that neither himself nor Silas wanted a free passage, 


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that they were not going to try to be a burden on him, 
that they were fully able and would compensate him well 
for any trouble or expense they might be to him. 

The captain, who was a rough old fellow but kindhearted 
to the core, could not stand it any longer; but exclaimed! 
“Now stow that! not another word of remuneration! or 
shiver my timbers, I’ll have you both put in your cockle 
shell and send you adrift. 

“What in greased lightning do you take me for, I’ll let 
you know that Nantucket is the place I hail from. 

“There is nothing short about me, only oil, and there’ll be 
blubber enough by and by. 

“I want you young men to make yourselves at home on 
the Salty Ann, for shiver my timbers! not the devil of a 
pay would he take from any such foine speciments of 
American gintlemen; with brains enough to stock the whole 
universe. 

“For forty years he had sailed the Salty Ann, which was 
as good a ship as ever floated on water, but to go beyond 
these icebergs, he never would, not if he lived to be as old 
as Mathusally, and not for all the gold in King Solomon’s 
mines.” 

Just then the gong struck; the watch and the boatswain’s 
whistle was heard for supper, and our boys, who now were 
the captains’ guests, had to go down with him. 

But before they went he ordered the boatswain to sum- 
mon all hands on deck, which he did in a hurry, thinking 
the ship was on fire, when he saw the bright light our 
boys hadn’t put away after showing it to the captain. 

Our boys were then introduced to all the ship’s crew, 
who were told to extend the hospitality of the ship to them, 


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205 


and treat them the same as if one was the King of England, 
and the other the President of the United States. 

Paul and Silas, after lounging around in the ship for a day 
or two, began to weary of the monotony of doing nothing, 
and the following day being calm they thought it would 
be a good idea to overhaul their gas bag. 

With some silk and rubber they had stowed away in a 
chest they repaired the rent in the bag, and with some rope 
the captain gave them they spliced the ropes that held it 
to the car; and after fixing everything good and snug, for 
it was their intention that on the first opportunity they 
would give the airship another trial, this mode of sailing 
in a whaling ship was too slow for them; it would be months 
before they would reach home. 

While the captain was conversing with them one day, 
the lookout above cried out, “Whale-oh!” 

The captain answered, “ Where away?” 

“Three points off the starboard bow.” 

“Make ready! Call the harpooner? Every man to the 
boats.” 

Everything was in a bustle at once. 

Our boys were filled with excitement, too, for this was a 
different kind of fishing than they were used to. 

Oh! it was exciting when the whale was struck, and the 
iron entered his body and the blood colored the water; 
how he struggled in his death agony; how he lashed the 
water into foam with his tail, and when afterwards he lay a 
floating mass on the water; how he was hauled alongside 
the ship, and how the sailors with axes and knives began 
to cut him up and fill the barrels with blubber. 

Our boys did not get lonesome, but enjoyed it immensely. 



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It was the first time they had seen a whale captured, and 
it was quite a novelty to them. 

The captain informed them after they had finished storing 
away the blubber that he was going to steer for the shore to 
lay in a supply of fresh water, which they were glad to hear, 
for they could not ascend with their ship while on the vessel. 

Their idea was, when they reached land to sail in their 
own ship, and give the sailors an opportunity to witness 
the ascension ; and another thing, the end of their vacation 
was drawing near, and they had to be at home. 

It was not very long before land was sighted, and all 
hands were glad to stretch their legs on shore once more. 

Paul and Silas were not long in getting ready for their 
flight. 

The captain and all his crew gathered around them to see 
them start, and didn’t their eyes open when they saw with 
what ease our boys inflated the gas bag. 

Didn’t they cheer — hip! hip! hurrah! 

When last our boys saw them they were still looking and 
wondering. 

Paul and Silas were now fairly on their way home, and 
would if nothing happened to them, get there very soon. 

It being nearly three months, they thought, since they 
slept together that night at Paul’s house, and they often 
thought that they ought not to have left on such short 
notice. 

They were talking about what they were going to do when 
they reached home, as they did not go back empty handed; 
in the bottom of the boat was a chest full of valuable jewels, 
and lumps of purest gold, that were given them by the people 
of the North Pole, enough to make them independently rich. 



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Considering their wonderful airship, and their wings, 
how great they would become; how rich, popular, influential; 
the whole world would honor them for solving the mystery 
of the North Pole. 

Then the wonderful bottled light, we must not forget 
that this was the theme of their conversation as they 
were drifting along rapidly with the wind. 

Silas, who had the telescope in his hand and was attending 
to the motor, suddenly called out, “Paul! Paul! for goodness 
sake! we’re in New York! Look out for the Statue of 
Liberty! and before the word was out of his mouth, there 
was a crash and a ripping and tearing, and they found 
themselves entangled with the net work of ropes around 
the statue; ever so many hundred of feet in the air. 

The car was tilted away on one side, and all they could 
do was to scream out, help! help! help! 

They awoke simultaniously rubbing their eyes. 

“My goodness! what a dream I had!” exclaimed Silas, 
“it beats anything I ever experienced, it was so real.” 

“You ought to hear mine,” said Paul, yawning, “I 
dreamed we were at the North Pole.” 

“And I on the Statue of Liberty in the New York harbor 
crying help, help, help.” 

Two such foolish looking fellows you never saw; as they 
were when they told each other their dream. 

It was so vivid they couldn’t hardly realize that it surely 
was a dream, and the strangest part of it was, that both 
dreamed the same dream. 

They sat quite a while on their bed talking about it, when 
they heard the breakfast bell ring, and Paul’s sister knocking 
at the door and asking them what was the matter? that she 


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was’nt going to ring the bell any longer, advised them 
hereafter not to sit up half the night talking, and not to be 
able to get up in time to see what the storm had done last 
night. 

Their shed with its contents, was blown all over the place, 
and their portable fence was washed clean away. 

All their work was demolished. 

Here and there, could be found a fragment of their air- 
ship. 

Even their steam launch was missing, but they found out 
later that a neighbor had borrowed it to rescue some people 
who were from the neighborhood and supposed to be lost 
off shore somewhere. 

The storm played such havoc with their inventions that 
they concluded to cease all such work until they had 
completed their education, and for the present enjoy their 
vacation resting, instead of working. 

Later on, when their school days were over, they would 
employ men and means and build another airship, after 
the model of the one they had made; only larger and 
stronger, and demonstrate to the world that aerial naviga- 
tion would be the future means of transportation, even if 
they never should get as far as the North Pole. 

This was only a dream, but people are still trying they 
may get there yet, and are still making attempts while 
wide awake. 

As it was, our boys were glad it was a dream, for they 
would rather by far be enjoying a long walk on this beauti- 
ful morning in the glorious sunlight at home with their 
friends, than to be hung up on the Statue of Liberty calling 
for help! help! help! 


The Adventures of Edward Fox; or, The 

Magic Fiddle and Wax 



?HE story I am about to relate concerns a boy 

T j§| and his magic fiddle and magic cement. His 
name was Edward Fox, but I shall call him 
Ned, for by that name his foster parents 
called him. 

He never knew his real parents, for one 
day, when he was a w T ee baby, he was found in a basket at 
the door step of the Foxes. 

Mr. and Mrs. Fox were poor people, and had to work 
very hard for a mere living. 

Mr. Fox was a shoemaker and kept a little shop at the 
extreme end of one of the principal streets in the then 
quiet city, the capitol of Virginia. 

At the time of Ned’s birth, in the year 1867, Richmond 
was a very quiet city. Electric cars, telephones, phono- 
graphs, baseball parks, moving picture exhibitions, roller 
skating rinks or electric lights were not even thought of. 

Once a year a circus would pitch its tent on the old fair 
grounds, and once a year the State fair was held, to which 
the country people would come in wagons, buggies and 


carts. 

The old canal boats would bring people from adjacent 
counties, and the one or two railroads then in existence 
would help to bring the crowd. 

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Mr. and Mrs. Fox one morning upon opening their shop 
door found our little hero on the doorsill squalling lustily 
for nourishment, and since having no children of their own, 
they took him in and acted as father and mother to him. 

Ned eventually became a good boy and loved his foster 
parents, and it often worried him while attending school 
to know what he should do to return their kindness and 
to lessen their labors. 

To be a common cobbler was not what he desired, and a 
clerkship in a store would not pay enough to earn his board 
and help them, and to take a course in college required a 
goodly sum of money. 

Ned, being of an obliging disposition, had many friends, 
not only among the white people but also with the colored 
people who were thrown on their own resources. 

Slavery having been abolished before this time. 

He had one good old friend, an old darkey, who had been 
brought over from Africa when a youth and sold into 
slavery; he was now free, but alone in the world. 

His old master had lost his life in the war, and his master’s 
wife when she received the news died of grief, for she 
loved her husband devotedly. 

Old Uncle Ned loved our boy, and Ned used to confide 
to him his troubles, and Uncle Ned consoled him time and 
again by telling him his time would come for prosperity, 
just to wait and he would taste of the good things of the 
world. 

The time came sooner than Ned expected; old Uncle Ned 
was taken very ill and sent for him, and told him as his 
“Uncle Ned’s” end was drawing near he would confide to 
him a secret that no one knew but himself; it was this: 


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Many years before, when he was a boy in Africa where he 
came from, there was a place, a piece of dry land about five 
acres in dimension, situated in the middle of a swamp 
filled with snakes, alligators and wild beasts. 

He remembered once that he and another boy went 
hunting with their bows and arrows and spears, they 
waded out in the marsh and saw a beautiful green knoll 
with something upon it that looked like gold and silver, but 
when the alligators came with their big mouths opened, 
they were frightened and fled. 

Shortly afterwards, when curiosity led him there again, 
he was seen and captured by white men who brought him 
to this country. 

He described the place and the shore where they embarked 
with him so accurately that Ned sketched it on a piece of 
paper, showing to Uncle Ned the exact place where the ship 
lay that brought him to this country, that if he ever got the 
chance, Ned made up his mind he would go there and 
search for the designated spot. 

Uncle Ned also gave him an old fiddle that he made, and 
a recipe for a curious wax or cement which, when applied, 
was stronger than steel or iron, and told him whenever he 
played on the fiddle that whoever heard would be com- 
pelled to either dance or cry as the player willed, and if he 
made the cement according to the recipe, he could depend 
that any broken article mended with it would never break 
in the same place again. 

Ned thanked him very much, and after bidding him good- 
bye, carried his treasures home. 

The old man did not long survive the attack; the next 
time Ned went to see him he was dead. 



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Ned had now attained his fourteenth year, and during 
the last year or two, he had saved up his pennies until he had 
accumulated quite a good sum of money, so he had a con- 
sultation with his foster parents and advised them of his 
plans for the future. 

His idea was to fit himself out with a travelling outfit and 
take a trip around the world, and make use of his fiddle 
and wax to pay his expenses, and what he made in excess 
of his needs he was to send home to his parents. 

As he was all they had in their old age to place their 
affections on, they were naturally unwilling to see him depart 
and Ned, too, hated to leave them, for he sincerely returned 
their love. 

But fate willed it that he should go. 

So one day, after he had bought the ingredients according 
to the recipe, he made a lot of cement in stick shape, and 
completed his first concoction of it. Mr. Fox was just then 
putting a pair of soles on shoes with pegs; Ned told him to 
wait a moment as he wanted to try something, so he put 
some of his cement on the soles, and some on both of the 
shoes and pressed them together, and wonderful to relate 
they adhered at once, and so firmly that no sewing or 
pegging was required, and all the pulling on them could 
not loosen them, even water had no effect on it; the cement 
did the work of pegging and sewing, and made a much 
better job. 

Mr. Fox was very much pleased with the result, and got 
Ned to make him a lot of it for future use, for now he would 
not need to do any more sewing and pegging, and the 
shoes and boots which came to him for repairing would 



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look much neater than of yore, consequently his custom 
would increase. 

Before Ned left home he invited all of his friends and their 
sisters to his home, but the rooms being small and the 
afternoon warm, his parents set a table in their backyard 
under the shade of a big oak tree, around which all gathered 
to partake of the good things provided for them. 

Some old friends of Mr. and Mrs. Fox were invited, too, 
among whom was the schoolmaster and his wife. 

It was quite a social affair, every one was in good spirits, 
laughing and talking, all joined in wishing Ned good luck 
and success. 

Later on, Ned told them of the fiddle old Uncle Ned 
had given him; all said, “bring it out!” “Let’s see it!” 

Even his schoolmaster asked to see it, perhaps he may 
play it. 

Ned brought it out and handed it to him. The school- 
master, who was an expert performer on the violin, tuned 
it and played several popular airs, such as “Dixie,” “Home, 
Sweet Home,” etc. 

Every one was delighted; finally he passed it back to Ned 
and told him he should learn to play upon it, as nothing 
could drive away dull care better than music. 

Ned received the fiddle gingerly and just for the fun of 
it placed the instrument to his shoulder, made an elaborate 
bow to his audience, as he saw the schoolmaster do, and 
began to slowly draw the bow across the strings, and all at 
once, to his utmost surprise his fingers began manipulating 
the strings, and music such as they had never heard came 
from the violin, first a beautiful waltz, then a sonata, which 
finally changed into a beautiful quickstep and reel, where- 


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upon everyone unconsiously rose to their feet and began 
dancing, slowly at first, keeping time with the music, then 
faster and faster, old and young, big and little, everyone 
danced. 

Schoolmaster and children, all tore up the ground with 
their feet, everyone tried to outdo the other, until Ned 
saw that if he kept on playing there would be no end to it, 
so he ceased abruptly. 

You ought to have seen them, the perspiration was rolling 
down all their faces, and some became quite red in the 
face, but all complimented him on his remarkable playing; 
said it surpassed anything they had ever heard, and 
expressed thoughts that there must be magic in the fiddle, 
for some had never before tried to dance. 

Ned could not at first speak for laughing, but later 
remarked that he hoped they had enjoyed themselves. 

He offered to play again, but they begged him not to, 
for fear they would dance themselves to death and thereby 
break up the festival. 

Finally they all went home, and in bidding him good- 
by, requested that he keep them informed of his experi- 
ences on his journey, which he promised to do. 

Next day, Ned packed a small grip with an extra suit of 
clothes, reserving a space in it for a small quantity of his 
wonderful cement, and with it in one hand and his violin 
in a bag thrown over his shoulder he bade his foster parents 
goodby, and started on his journey a foot. 

After walking for three uneventful hours, the road 
brought him to a river spanned by a bridge, and on drawing 
near he observed a crowd of people assembled over what 
seemed to be a wreck. 


Modern Fairy Tales 


219 


Right at the commencement of the bridge, which was 
used by travellers a foot and vehicles, were two heavy 
wagons locked together with both hind axles broken, and 
the horses harnessed to each were jumping and tugging at 
the traces, trying to pull them apart. 

The drivers were in distress, knowing the danger, several 
men were trying to hold the now unmanagable horses, 
while others were doing their best to get the traces un- 
hooked. 

When our hero arrived they had gotten dangerously 
near the embankment beside the bridge, a few yards 
more and the animals would go over the edge into the river. 

With great presence of mind Ned took it all in with a 
glance; being young and quick, he got out his pocket knife, 
which was very sharp, and with a bound he rushed in 
among the horses, slashed at the leather traces, severing 
first one then the other which set the horses free, whom the 
men held by the bridles until they quieted down, then he 
asked the drivers to get the wagons apart, and that he 
would repair the damage in a few minutes if they would 
let him. 

One of the drivers told him he would give him five dollars 
if he could mend his wagon axle sufficiently strong to 
carry the load away without any more delay, that he was 
already one hour behind time. 

The other man made the same request about his wagon, 
as for the traces they said they would lash them together 
until they got home. 

Ned bade them wait a moment ; he then opened his grip, 
selected a piece of his cement, made them prop up one 
axle, and applied some of the cement to the broken parts 



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221 


and joined them together; sure enough, immediately the 
ends touched they adhered so firmly that when the prop 
was knocked from under the axle the jar did not effect 
it in the least. 

The people all wondered and stared, several expressed 
doubts that the mend would hold, so to demonstrate that 
the work was perfect, Ned told them to get on the wagon, 
which with four or five more men they did; proving that 
the mend was complete. 

He then quickly fixed the other wagon the same way, 
then called for the traces, which he also repaired with the 
cement in the same manner, collected his ten dollars, 
and carefully stowing it away in his purse, and with the 
thanks of the drivers in his ears, took his departure. 

When he was seen leaving the place of the accident, some 
of the crowd that had gathered, recovering from their 
surprise, followed and overtook him. 

Some wanted to buy a portion of his cement, others 
wanted him to do mending for them. 

One man offered him fifty dollars for the recipe, but Ned 
refused them all, saying he had no time to stop, as it was 
important for him to be going, he said, if I come back this 
way I may listen to some of your offers; in the meanwhile he 
kept on walking, and the crowd which followed him grew 
larger, and some more troublesome informed him of their 
intentions to accompany him, no matter where he went. 

Ned did not like this, he had no fancy for a rabble follow- 
ing at his heels, and he spoke plainly to that effect; they 
still persisted, however, and followed until they came to a 
large railroad station; once there, he had a bright idea, he 
stopped for a moment, took his fiddle out of the bag, and 



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223 


quickly tuned it, asking those nearest to him to allow him a 
little room, that he once read in one of his school books 
how a hunter had kept a pack of wolves from making a 
meal of him by charming them with the music of his violin, 
and that he was going to try the trick on them. 

They laughed and told him to go ahead, one red-nosed 
toper offered to take up a collection for him, no doubt 
thinking there would be some silver in it for him to get a 
fresh supply of liquor. Our hero ignored him and struck 
up a lively twostep, and in a minute or two the crowd 
began swaying backwards and forwards to the time of the 
music. 

Such an unusual sight soon brought more people who, 
upon hearing the magical strains, immediately joined in the 
dance; no one within hearing of his violin could keep their 
feet still. 

Presently Ned changed the tune to something livelier, 
the crowd responded, their feet went faster. 

Now came a preacher, who forgetting his calling and 
clerical garb in which he was invested, placed his hands 
beneath his coattails and began tripping the light fantastic. 

Several country women with old-fashioned traveling 
bags, as soon as they came within sight and hearing, began 
to dance, one or two young clerks from nearby stores also 
joined in, three young maidens, a prim old maid and one 
big, fat old colored woman fairly made the dust fly, and in 
her extacy encircled the reverented brother’s waist with her 
arms, all were jumping and shuffling their feet in the wildest 
manner. 

Finally some officials from the railroad station danced 
into view, and last, but not least, came two big fat blue- 


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coated policemen to disperse the rabble, they also were 
charmed with the music, men women and children, black and 
white, all danced around the policemen who were vainly 
endeavoring to stop others from dancing, but could not 
restrain the impulse to shake their own legs and feet in 
rythm to the tuneful strains. 

Just then the train rolled into the station, and Ned 
seeing his chance clutched his grip and quickly slipped 
through the dancing crowd and jumped aboard the train 
where he found an obscure seat, in which he ensconced 
himself with his belongings. 

In a few minutes it quieted down outside, as the music 
had stopped. 

The people wondered why such fools they had been; the 
preacher disengaged himself from the old colored sister in 
disgust, the policemen seized two little boys by the arms, who 
had been laughing at them, the whistle blew, all aboard! 
shouted the conductor, the bell rang, the train was in 
motion, and soon our hero was miles away on his journey. 

PART THE SECOND 

Our boy was now well on his journey, and the train sped 
on through Fredericksburg, Washington and Baltimore, 
nothing worth mentioning occurred, but he delighted in 
viewing the scenery that passed before him like a panorama. 

The beautiful green fields of corn and wheat, ruins of 
beautiful homes that plainly showed the traces of where a 
battle was fought. 

Remains of breastworks, behind which the blue and gray 
lay and fought during gruesome years of the war. Years, 


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225 


that Ned was constantly reminded by the sight of many 
people that the war had left its disfiguring mark; some with 
a leg gone and others minus an arm or hand. 

Then would flash by an old wagon loaded perhaps with 
provender or wood, on its way to some nearby village store 
to trade for household necessities, and once in a while a 
brickyard plant would be passed. 

Every now and then the train would stop at some station 
or take on a supply of water. 

Beginning to feel hungry he ate some lunch he had 
brought from home, which reminded him of the dear 
friends he had left behind of how careful they had been in 
preparing it for him. 

At last he reached the great city of New York with all its 
bustle and confusion, but no one heeded him, as he was 
only a boy. 

He was naturally a little flustered upon getting off the 
train, and pondered as to where he should spend the night, 
for it was now quite dark, seeing a policeman, he asked 
to be directed to some place where he could get reasonable 
lodging, and the policeman directed him to a lady who 
kept a boarding house, and gave him a card with written 
direction, and boarding a car he soon arrived at her door, 
and in a little while we find him pulling the door bell for 
admittance. 

An old lady came to the door and, after acquainting her 
of his desire to board, she asked him in and showed him a 
little room at the head of a flight of stairs, and told him to 
put his things in there, and he could take a bath, and come 
down to supper. 


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Presently the supper bell rang, and Ned, who had 
washed the dust off his face and hands and combed his 
hair nicely, walked on down stairs and entered the dining 
room, where quite a number of persons had already taken 
seats at the table. 

There were several old men and an old lady who wore 
large spectacles; she gazed at our boy and remarked: 
“ A new boarder, I suppose; what may your name be?” 

“Edward Fox, mam,” answered Ned, politely. 

“You seem to be a nice young man! just as my grandson 
would be, I suppose, if he was living. Where did you come 
from, my lad?” 

“From Richmond, Virginia, mam.” 

“You can call me Mrs. Brently; I declare you look so 
fresh and rosy I thought you came from the country; come, 
my son, sit down by me,” with that she took hold of Ned’s 
arm and led him to a seat next to hers. 

Supper was then served, to which Ned did full justice; 
for he was hungry, and the old lady talked to him all the 
while, asking him where he intended going and what 
business he would like to follow? Did he have a father and 
mother? and why did he leave them? and how long was he 
going to stay in New York? 

Ned answered all her questions, and told her he was 
only waiting until he could get money enough to pay for a 
trip on one of the large vessels that would carry him across 
the ocean, meanwhile he was going to look around, perhaps 
he could find some mending to do tomorrow, as he had a 
cement that would mend anything on earth. 

A lady artist who sat opposite him, asked if he could mend 
an easel for her; one of her most valuable pictures had 


Modern Fairy Tales 


227 


fallen from the wall the other day and struck the easel on 
which she had a picture mounted, it would inconvenience 
her very much, she said, to stop painting to have it fixed, 
it would also cost her double, for loss of time and the 
expense of repairing. 

Ned told her he could fix it right away; so after supper he 
went up to her room and mended her easel, and also the 
picture frame and glass that covered it. 

One of the men boarders who wanted to go hunting and 
who had a gun with a broken stock got him to repair it, 
he did it all in less than an hour. 

Several dollars were added to his funds, and more work 
promised him for the next day by three others. 

It now being sometime after supper, and our hero now 
having time for leisure, sat down and wrote a long letter to 
his foster parents, then went up to his room and, to amuse 
himself, began to play on his wonderful fiddle, never once 
thinking that the music would be heard outside of his room 
while the door was closed. 

Now the rooms on either side of him were occupied by 
the two old men whom he had seen at the supper table. 

One was a performer in one of the bands that New York 
was famous for, the other a professor and instructor of 
music, and organist for one of the largest churches in the city. 

Both happened to be at home this night. 

Now and then they would catch a note or two which 
aroused their curiosity, consequently they opened their 
doors and the music became more cognizant, finally Professor 
Long, the professor, called to Mr. Schultz. 

“Brother Schultz! can you tell me who is playing that 
violin?” 


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“Don’t know professor, it must be the young man in the 
room between us.” 

“I don’t doubt it, for the sounds come from there; but 
who is the fellow?” 

“How should I know,” responded Mr. Shultz, “I can 
see him no better than yourself, but he certainly under- 
stands the handling of that instrument.” 

“I believe he excelles you at that; let’s ask him out!” 

“You would likely be snubbed for your curiosity.” 

“Listen at that! That was good!” as Ned finished one 
of Mozart’s most difficult pieces. 

“I’ll risk being snubbed,” said Mr. Long, and forthwith 
he tapped at Ned’s door, who immediately opened it. 

“What can I do for you, sir?” said Ned. 

“Were you playing on that instrument?” asked the 
professor, indicating the fiddle which Ned held in his 
hand. 

“Young man,” he continued when Ned had answered in 
the affermative, “you play pretty well, being so young; I 
must compliment you; would you mind favoring us with a 
few of your selections in the parlor down stairs? My 
friend here, introducing Mr. Schultz, who, like myself, is 
also a musician, would be very much pleased as no doubt 
the other people would be to listen to your music.” 

Ned told them he was afraid to play in public, that if he 
did everyone who heard would dance. 

They laughed heartily. “Come, we will see you through,” 
they said, “we don’t think the few old maids and married 
women who assemble in the parlor every night could hurt 
anyone by dancing, as they are all staunch hard-shell 
Baptists who consider it almost a crime to dance; we are 


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229 


willing to forfeit twenty dollars that not one had ever danced 
in twenty years.” 

So Ned let them persuade him to accompany them below, 
where they were welcomed by all present. 

Some were reading, some doing fancy work, old Mrs. 
Brently was telling another lady about her grandson she 
had been seeking for over fourteen years. 

“Ladies!” said Mr. Long, “let me introduce to you a 
young man, Mr. Fox, who has consented to give us a little 
music on his violin; he expressed fears that you would 
dance, which, of course, would ruin this beautiful parlor 
carpet, and our landlady would give us all moving orders; 
so I promised him that nothing of the kind would occur 
here, have I your promise?” he laughed. 

“Certainly! certainly! Why Mr. Long! you must think 
we forget our duty, our sacred duty! rest assured! Mr. Fox, 
there is not the slightest danger.” 

Ned then sat down by Mrs. Brently, when all was quiet 
he began to play. 

Such music they never heard in all their lives, it was 
exquisite; at one time like a flute, then like an organ away 
off in the distance, then gradually nearer, nearer, music 
which made them forget everything, who and what they 
were and where they were. Their feet began to move to 
the time of the music. It wasn't very long before one of the 
old ladies rose, excused herself and skipped to the door, 
now another one left her seat and made for the door, right 
into the professor's arms, who was walking back and 
forwards by the door, out into the hall they went; and you 
could hear a sliding and shuffling when all at once the rest 
of them rose in a body, and there would have been some big 


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dancing if Ned had not suddenly stopped playing, when 
all dropped back into their seats confused. 

Mrs. Brently and Ned laughed heartily. Mr. Schultz 
exclaimed, “say boy! play another one! I will give you 
five dollars to play another one like it.” 

“Mr. Long! let me congratulate you on your infinite 
pleasure; how I envy you! this is what I call fun; there must 
be witchcraft in it, that music would make an elephant 
dance. 

“Play, Mr. Fox! we will be the geese, only don’t carry us 
off and eat us.” 

Ned then struck up another tune, this time he played 
something so sad that it had an entirely different effect. 

Every one listened with bowed heads as he played, he 
could hear sobs, presently one or two ejaculated a wailing 
“oh!” and when he stopped the tears were running down the 
faces of the three old maids, and the eyes of the two men 
looked watery. 

So after he completed another short piece he played 
America, when all joined in singing it, he then excused 
himself and went upstairs to bed. 

Next morning, bright and early, he got up, bathed and 
dressed, and, after thanking the Lord for taking care of 
him, he took a stroll out on the street; it was something 
new for him to see so many people already on the streets; 
working men going to their daily labor. 

Car after car crowded with men, women and children 
on their way to work. 

Milk, butcher and bread wagons, now and then a grocery 
wagon hurrying by to deliver the early needs that had been 
ordered. 


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After walking about for an hour he went back and ate a 
hearty breakfast, then he took a stroll around town to see 
the sights, and thinking that he might find some use for 
his cement, he put a supply into his pockets. 

He did not have very far to go before he found use 
for it. 

As he was walking along the street, he noticed a man 
ahead of him carrying a large glass globe that he was to 
deliver; of a sudden he slipped over some obstruction on 
the pavement, down he fell striking the globe against the 
curbing. 

A large piece was broken off. 

Ned stopped to look at the poor man who was in a dilemma 
bemoaning the accident, knowing well that it would take 
the best part of his weeks wages to pay for another globe; 
he kept fitting the piece to the globe but that did not help 
him, when Ned offered to cement it back so the break would 
not be visible, he didn’t know what to make of it. 

But Ned did not wait for him to think; it did not take 
him two minutes to mend it, and the man was so well 
pleased that he gave our hero a bright silver dollar. 

It is not necessary to tell you how much money Ned made 
while he was in New York, not alone with his cement but 
with his violin, which was all the rage. 

After he had accumulated quite a snug sum of money 
he though it time to start on his way to where he originally 
intended going, so one day, after he had breakfasted, he 
gathered his traps, paid for his keep, and sauntered down 
to the wharfs, where he saw vessel after vessel anchored 
to the docks. 



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Walking along the river front he passed by large sailing 
vessels, steamers and tugs, looking first at one then another, 
undecided what to do. 

His object was to find a way to get to the place in Africa, 
and find the spot old Uncle Ned had told him of, but he 
did not know just how to make a start. 

Should he ask some of the sailors would they take him 
along? but then he didn’t know who to ask, as vessels left 
there for every part of the world. 

While he was deciding whom he should accost for informa- 
tion he noticed that the sailors of a big steamer becoming 
active in the work of putting their vessel in order for de- 
parture. 

The captain was giving orders to clear the deck of 
obstructions, and he could see that they were making 
everything snug and comfortable, apparently for a long 
trip; an old gentleman accompanied by a little girl passed 
Ned and started to cross the gangplank leading to the 
vessel. 

Ned saw his chance to find out where the steamer was 
bound for, so he hurried after the old gentleman and 
touched him on the arm and excused himself, saying: “If 
you please, sir, would you mind telling me where this ship 
is going?” 

“What do you want to know for? surely that cannot 
interest you,” answered the man. 

“Yes sir! if you please! I want to go to Africa, and if 
this vessel goes that way I would like to go along.” 

“Go away boy! you had better stay in the United States, 
this is a foreign vessel and goes in that direction, but I 
don’t think the captain would be bothered with a boy, 


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and besides it takes money to travel to Africa, certainly 
every bit of fifty dollars, more I think than you could 
afford. What do you want to do in Africa? Have you 
relatives there, or do you want to hunt wild animals?” 

“Neither sir, quite something else, but its only a venture; 
I can’t tell you, but I have fifty dollars, please sir! see the 
captain for me I want to go along. I don’t know when I 
will have the chance again.” 

“Oh! Grandpa!” said the little girl, “do let’s ask the 
captain, he would be such nice company for us. See! he 
has a music box too? and I believe he can make it play, 
and you see, Grandpa, he looks so nice, and he can help 
me tend to you when you are sick.” 

“Now just listen to the little chatterbox! first you wanted 
me to take your pony along, then old Fido, our dog, now 
this strange young boy, but I won’t disappoint you this 
time, so come along Bob, young man.” 

“Ned, sir, is my name.” 

“Well come along Ned, perhaps we can make the arrange- 
ment, but we must hurry up for they are most ready to 
pull in the gangplank.” 

Just then the steamer’s whistle blew a loud blast, and 
while it was blowing they went on deck to see the captain, 
who after listening to the old gentleman, asked Ned where 
he was from, who his parents were and how old he was, and 
if he wanted to go as a passenger or work his way? 

Ned told him if he would be so kind to take him along 
that he had money enough to pay his fare, and did not 
intend to be a burden to anyone. 

So the captain said, “all right,” and the old gentleman, 
whose name was Mr. Browning, said he would look after him. 


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Lilly, that was the name of the little girl, Mr. Browning’s 
granddaughter, clapped her hands for joy; as she now 
would have someone near her age for company on the long 
journey. 

Sea voyages at that time took longer than they do now, 
and it would be weeks, yes, perhaps months before they 
reached their destination, as the steamer was not a passen- 
ger steamer but a freighter, loaded heavily with flour and 
such like necessities which were shipped to some place on 
the African coast; in return they would bring back different 
things, such as roots and barks for medical purposes. 

Ned ascertained that the boat after reaching its destina- 
tion would have to lay over a month or two to wait for 
freight from the interior; that just suited Ned, as it would 
give him time to make the investigations he came for. 

A few words now, before going further in Ned’s adven- 
tures, as to Mr. Browning. 

He was at one time a wealthy man; while captain of a 
big whaling vessel. Having saved considerable money he 
invested it in fishing boats, a number of which brought him 
in a good income, and he enjoyed prosperity until the war 
between the States arose and left him impoverished; he 
also lost his only son; whose wife died shortly afterwards 
from grief and other ailments, leaving their daughter, 
Lilly, in her grandfather’s care; naturally she came to be 
his idol. 

Every comfort that he could bestow upon her he did, and 
when he saw that her health was none of the best he con- 
sulted an eminent physician, who advised a trip abroad to 
build up her constitution; being accustomed to water it 
suited him perfectly to accompany her, so he selected this 


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freight steamer, as the captain was an old friend of his who 
had once served him as first mate in the whaling service, 
therefore he felt quite at home j they were the only pas- 
sengers on the boat with the exception of Ned. 

“All aboard!” shouted the captain, 

“Haul in the gangplank! cast loose the bowline!” ‘Ker- 
chuck! ker-chuck! ricker! ricker! ricker! the engines started 
up, and the big steamer began to throb and slowly turn her 
bow towards the opening sea. 

All the sailors on deck were busy putting ropes and other 
fastenings into their respective places, and soon the shore 
was left far behind. 

Our three passengers soon got tired of standing around 
and went below to put their belongings in their staterooms, 
and oh! how snug and nice everything was arranged for 
their comfort, almost as nice as on one of the regular 
liner. 

There was the captain’s cabin, a saloon, and numerous 
other rooms for the mates and steward, and quite a number 
of staterooms for passengers. 

Soon the gong struck for dinner, for it was now the noon 
hour. 

Ned, who had enjoyed the trip so far, now began to 
experience a strange feeling in his stomach, and when he 
went to dinner he did not relish eating in the least, still 
he felt hungry and, strange to say, Lilly felt the same way. 

Mr. Browning noticed and began to smile, it wasn’t 
very long before both thought they had swallowed a fly, 
certainly they did their best to eject one; after a while they 
conquered the nausous feeling, and oh! my! how they 
stowed away meal after meal. 


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After several days they managed to get their sea legs; 
that is they could run about the ship without staggering, 
and became acquainted with the officers and sailors, became 
quite favorites, and among whom they were known as the 
pair of kids. 

One day one of the big links to the rudder chains snapped 
apart, which caused quite a commotion and disarranged 
the steering apparatus; the ship’s smith was called to 
remedy the matter. 

Ned who happened to be near and saw the break, told 
the smith he thought he could fix it without fire or trouble, 
that he had a cement in his grip he knew would make it as 
solid as ever. 

They laughed and told him that this was not a matter of 
glue but blacksmith muscle, but Ned insisted on trying 
before they removed the chain, so to humor him, they told 
him to go ahead. 

Ned then hastily got a stick of his cement and applied 
it to the broken parts, and no sooner they were put to- 
gether, adhered so firmly that every one was surprised. 

The captain was dumbfounded. “Boy!” says he, “you 
have saved me twenty-five dollars, let me see the stuff?” 

“All right!” said Ned, “but be careful how you handle it; 
if you hold the stuff in your hand and press it on any 
foreign substance it will adhere at once and so firmly that 
the parts will have to be cut apart.” 

Now among the hands on deck there was a young darkey 
who acted in the capacity of an allround man. 

He worked on deck, carried messages, helped the cook, 
made up the bunks or beds of the sailors, but was very slow 
in his movements. 


SMKSBS 



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Ned noticed this on several occasions, and wondered how 
they had the patience to put up with him. 

But he was so good-natured, that a kick, or a punch or 
push now and then did not bother him in the least} the 
more you hurried him the slower he went; at the present 
time he had been told to fetch a pail of water; instead of 
going at once he sat the bucket down on the floor, bottom 
up, and stood by the captain, arms akimbo, with his mouth 
wide open, grinning at the surprise of everyone present. 

When Ned handed the stick of cement to the captain, 
which, in some way, it slipped out of his hands and fell on 
top of the inverted pail; one of the men at this time gave 
Monk, the darkey, a push, which caused him to slip, and 
unluckily he sat right down on the cement and stuck. 

“Get up you black rascal!” the captain cried. 

Monk got up, so did the pail, and the more he tried to 
pull it off the tighter it stuck. 

Everybody laughed. Monk ran all over thedeck, and 
finally went below to presently emerge minus a part of his 
trousers. 

One day Ned and Lilly sat on deck, it was a lovely day, 
the sky was a beautiful blue, the sun was shining bright, 
which did not bother our young people much as they were 
protected from the rays by an awning stretched over their 
heads. 

You may imagine how pleasant it is, how invigorating 
to inhale the good salt air as the steamer glided on through 
the quiet waters, nothing to be heard but the measured 
beat of the engines, the throb of which you could feel to 
make you know that if everything was quiet around you, 
there still was life under and above you, for when you cast 


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your eyes above you, now and then you would see one of 
those large birds called albatross skimming in the sky, and 
if you look down, you see the vast expanse of water rising 
and falling, with now and then some sea monster keeping 
alongside the ship as if he enjoyed the company of the 
vessel in his onward progress through the waves. 

Such is sailors’ life who sings the old song: “A life on the 
ocean wave, a home on the rolling deep, where scattered 
waters rave, and the winds their revels keep.” 

Suddenly there came a call from the lookout overhead, 
notifying the captain that they were about to pass another 
vessel, which proved to be one of Uncle Sam’s men of 
war. 

It was not long before a voice was heard calling, “steamer 
ahoy!” “Aye! aye! sir!” the captain responded; and in a 
few minutes the steamer slowed down and rested quietly 
on the water. 

Everyone crowded on deck, and presently a sprightly 
young officer in uniform met the captain, who extended him 
the hospitalities of the ship. 

After the necessary papers were made out, as is generally 
the case of a meeting of this sort, the young officer took his 
departure taking with him numorous letters intrusted to 
him for delivery to the postal authorities, who would thence 
forward them to their destination. 

Our hero was bright enough to avail himself of the oppor- 
tunity, and saw his letter safely on its way to the old folks 
at home, so that they would know that he was allright so far. 

They had been under way quite a number of weeks, when 
one day, soon after breakfast, they were attracted by 
a commotion on deck caused by the sight of land. 


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The captain could be heard giving orders preparatory to 
landing. “All on deck!” he shouted, “make ready the 
bowline!” and sundry other commands. 

Everyone became actively busy, and when the beautiful 
shore was approached all gave three cheers, knowing that 
the long trip one way was nearly ended, and all were safe 
and sound and free to have a good time while waiting for 
the cargo to be unloaded and a fresh one stored aboard. 

Monk was about the last one to crawl on deck, he had just 
been aroused by the noise and had been eating his break- 
fast, for he was the last one to eat. 

In his hand he clutched a ham bone on which he had been 
gnawing. 

His face was black and greasy and his mouth stretched 
from ear to ear with a beautiful grin, showing two rows of 
white teeth. 

“Lor! Massa Ned, ain’t you glad you is most on de land 
agin? I certainy is; I’se been awful tired bein on disboat 
all dis yere time, doing nodding but work, work all de time. 
I jes feel like I would like to run two miles to git de supple- 
ness out ob my bones.” 

“You’l run fast enough I bet if some of your forefathers 
get after you,” replied Ned. “By-the-way Monk, how 
would you like to go with me into the interior? Perhaps 
you can get a look at a cannibal if you have never seen one.” 

“Gee! I would’nt mind it, as for a cannon ball I done 
seed dem in New York, dat ain’t nodding to look at.” 

“I mean a cannibal or nigger that eats people, such as 
you and I, but I don’t think he would eat you as you are 
black, white people are what they like to feast on. I have 
heard that near here a missionary was devoured.” 


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“Wharefore you want to go dar Massa Ned? Ain’t you’s 
fraid dey will eat you?” 

“Not much, Monk, for I wouldn’t give them the chance; 
I’d run away.” 

By this time the steamer began to near the shore. 

Presently the steamers whistle blew three loud blast, the 
engines stopped working, the vessel came to a stop. 

“Cast out the anchor,” shouted the captain; which order 
was quickly obeyed. 

It was still quite a little distance to the shore, where could 
be seen a number of natives. 

The captain ordered a signal to be run up; and presently 
a boat was seen coming, manned by six natives and two 
white men. 

Here and there the water was dotted by swimming 
Kanakes. These were black savages, people quite naked, 
and they were such fast swimmers that some arrived to 
the steamer’s side sometime before the boat. 

The sailors threw ropes overboard which they caught, 
and were seen coming up the sides like monkeys, and such 
a sight they were, strip stark naked the water dripping 
from their black shiny skin. 

Some had short aprons fastened around their waist, 
made of some kind of platted grass; others had a short 
fringed skirt, fastened likewise around the waist. 

There were no less than a dozen of them. 

What did they want, you will ask? It was this ; they came 
to trade with the sailors; some had gold, some had diamonds 
and other precious articles that they did not know the 
value of, and would exchange them for strings of glass beads, 
ribbons and other trifling trinkets. 


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The sailors were prepared for them and did a good 
business, some made more money after selling what they 
had when they reached home than all the pay they received 
as sailors. 

When they left the vessel the Kanakas dove into the 
sea, to be seen presently swimming towards the shore. 

Our hero made preparation now to leave the ship, for he 
was going to accompany the men in their boat when they 
went ashore. 

He told Lilly not to be uneasy that he would be back again 
before the vessel would start on her homeward trip. She 
cautioned him to be very particular and not to go into 
too much danger, as she heard there were lions, tigers 
and snakes plentiful in Africa. 

Ned told her not to fear, that he went fully prepared to 
take care of himself. 

Getting the consent of the captain, Ned took Monk with 
him. Who was more than pleased to accompany him. 

You could see by the bulging pockets of his coat and 
trousers that he was well prepared with ammunition to 
sustain the inner man, besides he had a haversack and a 
frying pan and a gun strapped to his back. 

Ned had his precious fiddle and grip, and a short sharp 
cutlass or sword one of the silors gave him. 

They entered the boat and were soon carried to the 
shore. 

Arriving there they immediately struck inland, not 
caring who they met, and as they went along they entered 
a dense body of wood. 

After traveling for some time, Ned made a halt to con- 
sider the course he should persue; so he got out his map, 



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245 


and before going further, took his bearings; then onward 
they went again, and so they traveled until it became 
dusk, and they were just on the point of picking out a 
suitable place to camp for the night when their ears were 
assailed by a terrible whooping and chattering, and all at 
once there rushed out of the bushes about fifteen to twenty 
savages almost nude. 

They immediately surrounded our friends and pointed 
their javalins or long spear-pointed poles at them, as if 
they intended to pierce them through. 

Our hero was at first surprised and a little frightened, 
Mpnk fell on his knees and began to pray; “Oh! Lordy! 
hab mercy on dis poor nigger, I ain’t done nodding. Ouch!” 
as one of the spears slightly pricked him. Ned made 
signs to them, and getting out his fiddle commenced to 
play, when strange to relate the savages began to dance; 
first slow, than faster and faster until the sweat rolled down 
their naked skins, and when our hero stopped everyone 
kneeled down to him mumbling some such word as Gulla la! 
gulla la! and all held out their hands and beckoned them 
to follow them, whereupon Ned and Monk who had lost 
some of his fear, fell in line, and so they marched single file 
down a path that, as they went along, seemed to lead 
them into some underground passage. 

Finally it grew quite dark making it impossible for them 
to see anything. 

Now and then they could hear the trickling of water, 
which told them they were evidently in some large 
cavern. 

Suddenly the savages snatched up something as they 
went along, it looked like a big club, from the end of which 


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there shot forth a powerful light that illuminated the 
cavern; ’twas a beautiful sight that met their gaze. 

The interior, as far as you could see, had the appearance 
of glittering diamonds, and as the light shone on the walls 
they reflected thousands of beautiful colored rays. 

On one side a gentle stream gurgled onward, in a moving 
panorama of silver and gold. 

On and on they went, the savages in the lead, when finally 
they emerged into an open space surrounded on all sides 
with dome shaped huts. 

In front of the largest they halted, when from every direc- 
tion could be seen women and children coming; curiosity 
prompting them to see what was up. 

Out of the largest hut stepped a powerful man. 

He did not in the least resemble the rest of them, who 
were a brownish black color, but this man was not white, 
yellow, red, brown or black, his face was green, green as 
grass, and so also were his hands and feet, which were 
bare. 

He had on a large yellow cloak that reached down to his 
ankles, a girdle or belt around his waist made of the skin of 
some large snake. 

His hair was curly and ornamented with every kind of 
feather, and around his neck he wore a long chain, on the 
end of which was a metal cross. 

No doubt, he was the ruler, for when he spoke to them 
in a language strange to Ned, they all bowed with one 
accord, and not one ventured in close proximity to him, as 
if they were afraid of him, and he knew it. 

After jabbering for awhile they pointed to Ned and 
Monk. 


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247 


When he perceived our hero he beckoned to him with 
a short club, which he held in one hand; it was litterally 
covered with gold nuggets so heavy that it was a weight to 
carry. 

Ned went up to him, and he led him into the hut before 
mentioned. 

Ned was surprised to find the interior comfortably 
furnished; a rude table, settee and chairs, made of vines, 
twisted into such a shape that showed an adept at that 
kind of artistic work. 

In the further corner was a curtain made of skins, and 
on the floor were scattered skins to keep off the dampness. 

He told Ned in good English to take a seat on one of the 
chairs, but to be particular not to come into contact with 
the wall, as that was powerfully charged with electricity 
to protect himself when he laid down to sleep, and requested 
him not to heed the color of his skin as that was dyed to 
fool the natives. 

He also carried a powerful electric battery with him in 
the belt around his waist, connected with gloves, and if he 
chose to touch anyone on the bare skin he could almost 
paralyze him; he said the natives took him to be a fire 
demon; as he frequently gave exhibitions of fire eating, 
the secret of which they had never learned as yet. 

He enquired of our hero what brought him here; and 
Ned told him that he was in search of a hidden treasure 
supposed to be located in the near vicinity, and that the 
secret was given to him by an old darkey who recently 
died. 

He then told him who and how he happened to come 
here, also informed him about his fiddle and cement, which 


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seemed to interest the strange man more than everything 
else; and when Ned got through, the man put his hand 
on Ned’s shoulder and said: “good boy! good boy! your’e 
a brave lad, and I am going to help you. 

“I am only waiting to get the chance to get away from here 
myself, and could get away all right, but before I leave 
here I want to take enough of gold along to make me 
independent for life. 

“I have already quite a nice little pile, but I know there 
is so much here, such a lot that it would take two good 
horses and a strong wagon to remove it in one load.” 

Then he related to Ned that he had been with the savages 
quite a number of years, that they worshiped him as a 
God. 

Some time back a fever had broken out among them, 
that all would have perished if it hadn’t been for him, for 
he cured them with herbs and roots that grew in abundance 
nearby, and to further mystify and restrain some who 
proving unruly, he used electricity to punish them. 

For protection he had it so arranged that anyone at- 
tempting to enter the hut would be shocked. 

While he was talking and immense lion immerged from 
behind the curtain. 

Ned clung to the man for protection, who told him not 
to be afraid that he was perfectly tame; and as the lion 
walked up to Ned he opened his big mouth and gaped, 
then commenced to lick Ned’s hands; and for once, certainly 
Ned’s heart began to throb; for he knew that great big 
beast could make short work of him if he felt so disposed; 
but when the man said down, Leo! he quietly laid down 
in front of them like a large dog, perfectly contented. 


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249 


The man then went on to tell Ned how he managed to be 
in such an out-of-the-way place amongst a lot of man- 
eating savages, who would make no more ado about eating 
him than he would to kill a rabbit and eat it. 

Many years ago he had lived in Virginia, owning a 
pretty place; how a terrible fire destroyed everything he 
had, and at the risk of his life he managed to get his wife 
and baby out of the burning building. His wife overcome 
by the flames died soon after, and being without funds he 
took the baby and left it with some good people; his inten- 
tion being to send money for the care of it; and that he 
embarked on a vessel which was wrecked; and he was the 
only one saved, for by clinging to some of the wreckage was 
picked up by another vessel which was captured by pirates; 
and he being a doctor and much needed by the pirates, who 
kept him a prisoner for years, but he finally escaped and 
hid himself in a cavern, and there was captured by the 
savages, and by his works among them in physic, they 
came to the conclusion that he was something super- 
natural. 

Anyhow he could do just as he liked among them; but 
now things should be different; he knew where the place was 
Ned spoke of, but it would require a good deal of nerve and 
courage to reach it, and, called for good planning to ac- 
complish the undertaking. 

In the first place a complete rubber suit for both would 
be necessary, for their skin should not be exposed on account 
of wading through the electric marsh. 

Then they would have to form some plan to shun the 
snakes and crocodiles. 


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After partaking of a meal consisting of something Ned 
never had eaten before; meat and bread it was to all appear- 
ance. 

The bread was very coarse, but nutritious; tasted very 
much like corn bread, and the meat was dried snake meat, 
smoked. 

They talked over what they intended to do until a late 
hour, and then retired to rest. 

And where was Monk all this time, you will ask? 

He was so tired from his long walk that he dropped right 
down in front of the hut, frying pan and all, and was fast 
asleep. 

He didn’t suffer, for he was well packed with food outside, 
and when he got hungry he soon put it inside. 

Next day Ned and the strange man, whose name was 
King, rose bright and early and told Ned to call in Monk; 
but be sure and not let him touch the walls of the hut on 
account of the electricity. 

Ned went out and woke Monk, who followed him in 
rubbing his eyes. 

Ned soon put him to work getting breakfast, and while 
he was at it, Mr. King and Ned sallied forth and entered 
a body of woods which surrounded the marsh or swamp, 
they wanted to get a look at the electric marsh to see if ;t 
compared with Ned’s map. 

Now Monk, soon as he thought he was alone in the hut, 
began to make preparation for cooking the breakfast. 

Unloading his frying pan and other cooking utensils, 
he started to build a fire in the crude fireplace in the center 
of the hut; he was on his knees blowing up the flame, when 
he felt something sniffing him and rubbing on him near his 


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251 


trousers pockets; and slowly turning around to see what 
caused it, he beheld the big lion standing over him. 

To say that he was frightened is not the word, his face 
turned an ashen color, he was afraid to get up, all he could 
say was Lordy! Lordy! 

When the lion put one of his big paws on Monk’s shoulder, 
the poor darkey collapsed and fell over backwards, and lay 
his full length on the floor. 

Leo, the lion, then sniffed him all over; finally found out 
where Monk kept some of his food, and with his teeth 
brought the supply forth; finally when no more could be 
found, he began licking Monk, every now and then punching 
him with his nose to get up, which Monk gradually managed 
to do, whereupon he bolted for the entrance of the hut; 
but the lion barred his way; and so they stood for fully ten 
minutes. 

The lion finding it monotonous laid down by the entrance, 
and with his back to Monk went to sleep. 

Monk in time regained his composure, and finding the 
lion would not molest him, went on with getting the break- 
fast, but keeping one eye on Leo the whole while, and not 
until Ned and Mr. King returned did he feel at ease in the 
lion’s company. 

Meanwhile, Mr. King, conversing with Ned, told him to be 
careful and never attempt to wade out any distance in the 
marsh, for it would be sure death, as ever so many natives 
lost their lives in trying to cross to that beautiful knoll 
that glistened in the sunlight. 

While they stood and talked, Mr. King noticed one of 
the trees shedding its bark; and on close examination and 
feeling the bark found it quite pliable ; very much like rubber. 



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Mr. King took some of it along with him, and when they 
got back to the hut and had eaten breakfast, he tried to 
see what power electricity had on it, and found out that the 
bark was virtually rubber or very much like it* and he came 
to the conclusion that it would answer in the same place 
of rubber. 

At the first opportunity they went back to the trees and 
peeled off a lot of it and carried it home, and by cutting it 
into square pieces and heating the edges they managed to 
melt them together until they had quite a large piece of 
rubber cloth, or what would answer in the place of that 
article, and by cutting it into shape they contrived to make 
themselves each a suit that was perfectly waterproof. 

With these suits on they could wade out into the marsh 
and be protected both from the water and electricity. 

It took them some time to perfect their equipments, but 
one day they were ready, and decided to cross over to the 
glittering knoll. 

Monk accompanied them as far as the edge. 

Both carried a large hunting knife, fastened within reach, 
to defend themselves from any animals they might en- 
counter. 

Monk was instructed to stay near the shore, with quite a 
number of natives who looked on the undertaking with 
awe, as none of them dared to venture into the marsh 
knowing that sure death awaited them there. 

Mr. King took the lead and Ned followed him. 

At first they did not experience any difficulty, but oc- 
casionally they sank down below their knees in the mire, 
and managed in this way to get out about three hundred 
yards; when all at once! the ground, as they thought, which 


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they were standing upon, began to move, round and round 
in a circle; when lo! and behold! the head of an immense 
crocodile rose out of the water and opened his big jaws, 
and turned them around to see what was on his back. 

To say that our hero and Mr. King were surprised would 
not describe their feelings, they were horror struck, and at 
first were inclined to jump off, but they knew if they did 
that it would be the last of them. 

They did not know what to do, so on the spur of the 
moment they drew their long knives and sought to plunge 
them into the back of the reptile, but without avail; as the 
hide was so tough the blades would not penetrate, but it 
was the means of so enraging the crocodile, that without 
any warning, he took a straight course around the island; 
at first slowly, then faster that Ned and the man had to 
hold on to each other to keep from being thrown off; finally 
he made a straight shoot for the island, up and on which he 
ran; consequently our two hero’s quickly leaped off his 
back and took to their heels as fast as they could inland, 
and what was their surprise after covering about a quarter of 
a mile going up hill as they thought to behold the very spot 
described to Ned by the old darkey in Virginia. 

The beautiful green grass; and right on top in the center, 
what seemed to them a shining mass of gold. 

Gold! gold! gold! a glistening mass of the shining precious 
metal; lumps of all sizes, some as large as hen eggs, and 
piles of it like pebbles and sand; wherever they put their 
feet they touched the precious stuff. 

Loads of it; so much of it that they could have loaded a 
vessel and have plenty left to buy several cities with it. 


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255 


To say that they were awed at such an immense quantity 
of the precious metal, you should have seen their faces, 
Mr. King looked from it to Ned, and our hero did the 
same ; they could not imagine how so much gold could be 
deposited in such an out-of-the-way place, and could be 
seen from a distance and not taken away. 

PART THE THIRD 

They sat down on a large rock to consider how to remove 
the gold into the civilized part of the world. 

To accomplish that presented a problem that required 
some thinking. 

Every scheme suggested proved unfavorable. 

Several I will mention. 

Ned suggested that they should make a number of strong 
baskets and line them inside with the rubber cloth they 
could make out of the bark from the trees, and fill about 
eight or ten of them with the gold; then construct a raft, 
with revolving rollers that they could propel over the marsh, 
and in that manner could cafcry a quantity to the natives 
who were waiting who then could shoulder the baskets and 
carry them to their village; from there they could plan 
another way to get it to the steamer. 

Mr. King’s idea was to build a tramway across the swamp, 
by driving stakes down and building a road on them; then 
construct some kind of a wagon, and get the natives to 
help pull it, loaded with the gold. 

As neither plan would work, Mr. King suggested another 
one, as follows: 

“How would it do to construct a balloon large and 
strong enough to raise a ton, and in that way carry away 


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about five hundred pounds at a time, and trust to Provi- 
dence to land them at some place inside of the civilized 
world.” 

“That would be all right,” said Ned, “but how would we 
make the balloon? How would we be able to fasten the 
parts together? and where would we get the silk and the 
rubber to make the bag?” 

Then a bright idea struck Mr. King; he thought of the 
bark from the trees, the same they had made their water- 
proof suits of. 

“Fine!” said Ned, “just the thing to make the bag, and 
I can cement it together with my cement. 

“But how about the ropes for the balloon?” 

While they were talking they heard a fearful hissing, and 
a tremendous serpent crawled from behind the rock they 
were sitting on. 

He was a fearful monster, nearly twenty feet long, and as 
large in diameter as Ned’s body. 

He had his mouth open wide, his forklike tongue pro- 
truding out nearly a foot, spitting out his venom right 
and left. 

Ned and Mr. King were so frightened that they jumped 
off the rock as if stung by hornets and took to their heels, 
the monster driving all the thought of gold out of their 
heads for the time. 

They managed to elude the reptile and reached the edge of 
the island, and without further incidents waded back to 
where they had left Monk and the natives, who were 
greatly surprised to see them come back safe and sound. 

They demonstrated their joy by dancing around them, 
and feeling them to see if they were really alive. 


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They returned to the hut after a refreshing rest, and on 
the following day they began to put some of their plans 
into execution. 

First they cut down some trees, and with them con- 
structed a raft; with a series of rollers for wheels, so it could 
be propelled over the swamp by long poles or paddles. 

With the help of some of the natives they gathered a 
great quantity of bark from the rubber trees, and Mr. King 
thinking they might have to contend with the serpent 
took with him his big lion and several sharp hunting knives. 

It was decided that Monk should accompany them this 
time, as he was needed to help propel the raft, which was 
loaded with all things necessary for the work they had to 
do. 

By good luck they managed to get to the island without 
any mishap, only I have to tell you that Monk, during the 
trip across, began to get lazy and instead of pushing on his 
pole rested on it, when Leo, the lion, who was behind him, 
uttered a roar, which so startled Monk that he came very 
near jumping off the raft, and would have done so if the 
lion hadn’t grabbed him with one of his paws, as it was he 
held on to his trousers, and saved him from a terrible fate. 

What made the lion roar, he had seen the big head of a 
crocodile with jaws wide open as they passed by in the raft. 

Monk was more frightened then hurt, for if it had not 
been for the lion holding him he would have jumped into 
the crocodile’s jaws. 

However, when they arrived on the island the first thing 
they did was to build a hut to live in, as it would take them 
sometime to make a balloon large enough to carry all three 
of them with over half of a ton of gold. 



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So they cut down a lot of brush and cane that grew near 
the waters’ edge, and by interlacing it and plastering it 
with mud, they managed to construct quite a comfortable 
place to sleep in; and by building a fire inside of it, soon had 
it nice and dry. 

During the night the lion slept at the opening to keep off 
the vermin that might intrude on them. For several days 
they steadily worked on the balloon, which now began to 
assume gigantic proportions, and one day about noon as 
they were sitting down partaking of some refreshments 
and talking, when all at once Leo began to roar, they 
heard the same hissing sound that they remembered so well, 
soon the same monstrous snake made its appearance 
crawling towards them. 

They knew there would be something doing soon, so they 
quickly armed themselves with their long knives and 
stood at bay. 

As soon as the snake came within Leo’s reach, with one 
bound he was upon it and sank his teeth into its neck, and 
by exerting all his power held the monster down, while Mr. 
King and Ned rushed in and severed the head from the body, 
keeping well out of the reach of the terrible fangs. 

In a little while the snake desisted from lashing its 
tail on the ground, and lay perfectly still. 

While they were looking at its immense length, it re- 
minded them that they had quite forgotten what they 
would do for ropes for the balloon, for rope made out of 
sea weed would not be smooth enough or strong enough to 
risk their lives with to suspend them in mid-air; when a 
bright idea struck Ned, who was feeling the skin or hide 
of the serpent. 


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He suggested how would it do to skin this snake and cut 
it up into long strips, and make a lot of rope out of it? 

“I think it ought to be equal in strength to rawhide, 
certainly it would not be amiss to make a trial of it,” 
replied Mr. King, “we might twist the strips while they are 
in a green state and stretch them out in the sun to dry, 
and afterwards oil them with the fat from the snake, and 
then test the rope to see if it would be strong enough to 
answer our purpose.” 

“Get to work Monk,” said Ned, “we will leave that job 
to you, but be sure and cut them straight, and don’t fall 
asleep while you are doing it.” 

“I guess I better skin de snake fust, Massa Ned? Does 
you think he am dead by now? case he might bite me if 
he was’nt.” 

“You donkey! how could the snake bite you with his 
head cut off? You don’t need to skin it, you can cut the 
strips better the way the serpent is lying, be careful now and 
cut lengthwise and don’t let your knife slip and cut your 
skin by mistake.” 

“I’se gwine to be berry careful, you can rest assured on 
dat,” said Monk, with that he commenced his task. 

Meanwhile Ned and Mr. King went back to work on the 
balloon. 

Everything turned out well. 

It was now three weeks and everything was ready, the 
balloon was complete and the basket that was to carry 
them was about done; they took the precaution to make it 
water tight, so if they should fall into the water they would 
not sink. 


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261 


The snake ropes turned out a complete success, so now all 
that remained for them to do was put in what gold they 
could carry, some of which they would have to use for 
ballast, and something to eat, and drink, for they did not 
know where they might land. 

Now when everything was ready, they happened to look 
towards the water where their raft was tied, and lo! and 
behold! it was away out in the water, and looking further 
they noticed the water considerable closer to them. 

It was a fact which could not be contested, the island was 
surely sinking, it would only be a matter of time before 
they all would be submerged. 

They hastily filled the basket with gold and such things 
they needed, and at once began to inflate the balloon with 
gas, which Mr. King, being a chemist, manufactured 
through a process only known by himself. 

“Less give three cheers cause we is gwine to leabe dis 
place,” said Monk. 

“Rather let us get down on our knees and thank the 
Almighty that he gave us the means,” said Mr. King. 

“I agree with you,” acknowledged Ned, with that they 
offered up a silent prayer. 

Mr. King said, “amen,” then they all got in the basket; 
when the island began to shake and tremble as if some 
convulsion of nature was on the eve of casting it adrift. 

Leo, the lion, made for the water to swim to the opposite 
shore, the balloon began to rise. Up! up! higher and 
higher! Oh! it was grand! high up in the air; and when 
they looked down they could see that the island had 
entirely disappeared; what had once been an island, was 
now but a body of water, from which steam and fog arose 


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in dense volumes. Oh! it was fine, soaring along, and 
leaving such an out-of-the-way place, and getting near 
familiar ground where they would soon be with those they 
left behind. 

The balloon now rose higher and higher, then began to 
settle, and finally began to drift with the wind. 

Suddenly Ned, who had Mr. King’s telescope in his hand, 
exclaimed, “I see the coast!” and sure enough the blue 
water of the sea hove in sight; and now he spied a ship at 
anchor. 

“Hello! its our boat.” 

“Golly! you is right Massa Ned! how is we gwine to git 
down dar?” exclaimed Monk. 

About this time Mr. King pulled the valve ropes, and let 
out a lot of gas and the balloon began to descend, at first 
slow, then faster and faster, then slow again, finally settled 
gently down on the beach near the water’s edge. 

Ned immediately sent Monk to the ship with a note to the 
captain, telling him to send for them, but not by land, and 
send the largest boat so they could bring all their belongings 
to the ship and stow them away in safety. 

He did not mention what they had; but the captain, first 
mate, Mr. Browning and Lilly were already on the way, 
for they saw the balloon when it first landed, and glory! 
glory! glory! how glad they were to see our boy. 

Lilly for joy, actually put her arms around him and kissed 
him, which was embarrassing but nice, Ned thought. 

When he informed his friends about the treasure and 
introduced them to his new friend Mr. King, they wondered 
at Ned’s good luck, such a jolly crowd it was, and the 


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263 


captain told Ned they were ready to start on their home- 
ward trip. 

Monk was then sent to the vessel to tell the second mate 
to send men and a boat, in which to transfer them im- 
mediately to the steamer; which was only waiting for them 
to make a start for home. 

It wasn’t very long before the steamer blew her whistle, 
and the anchor was raised, and they were far out on the 
sea heading for the good old place called home, sweet home. 

PART THE FOURTH 

The homeward trip proved very pleasant, for they had 
beautiful weather and everything went along smoothly. 

A jolly time they had with Ned playing on his fiddle. 
Story telling by the sailors, and antics cut up by Monk 
created amusement in plenty. 

Monk, now and then would get into trouble. Once he 
fell overboard, but was saved from drowning by Ned. 

It happened this way: Ned had gotten a long rope, and 
at the end of it he fastened a bait, and instead of a hook he 
substituted a piece of his remarkable cement. 

He was on deck by the gunwale, waiting for the sight of a 
fish, the bait and cement and end of the rope was lying on 
top of the railing. 

The sailors had a mascot on board of the vessel, which 
happened to be a large billy-goat. 

Now this billy-goat did not have a bit of use for Monk, 
because he was the only black person on the ship. 

Every time Monk came near him he would butt him, and 
take very good care that Monk did not see him. 


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By some misfortune, Billy happened to be untied and 
wandered around the vessel in search of something dainty 
to eat, naturally his route took him near the cook’s depart- 
ment, and prowling around there whom should he espie but 
Monk, down on his knees with a big pot on the floor in front 
of him, sopping out the remnants of a pot-pie, with his 
head nearly in the pot. 

It was the opportunity of a lifetime; Billy took deliberate 
aim, with his head well down, and horns at right angle 
at Monk, he went like a battering ram. 

Monk slid ahead about six feet, rolled over the pot, and 
took to his heels thinking he was hit by a cannon-ball. 

Around the deck he ran with Billy after him until he got 
where Ned was. 

To get out of the way of the goat, when he reached the 
railing, he sat right down on the cement and bait Ned had 
prepared, but no sooner had he gotten seated, when Ned 
cried: “Look out Monk!” The vessel gave a lurch; over- 
board went Monk with the rope uncoiling itself on deck. 

Ned immediately hollowed, “Man overboard!” when one 
or two sailors, who saw the whole occurrence came running, 
but by this time Monk was in the water being dragged along 
by the steamer. 

Ned had tied the other end of the rope to the gunwale, 
and the sailors now began to haul up, and at last the big 
black fish, Monk, was landed on deck. 

He had swallowed so much salt water that the men had 
to turn him upside down and use every means to bring 
him to life again, and to get the bait and cement off his 
trousers. 


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265 


You will ask? what became of the goat? Oh! yes! one of 
the men led him back to his quarters without any trouble. 

I suppose he thought as Monk fell into the water, it 
might perhaps wash all the black off of him, and he would 
become white like the others. 

Lots of fun they had at Monk’s expense, but he was such 
a good-natured darkey, nothing could ruffle his temper. 

At last they reached New York harbor, and when they 
were permitted to enter the city, Mr. King, on their arrival, 
insisted on Ned going with him to a quiet boarding place; 
our hero suggested that they stop at the same place where 
he was so kindly treated on his arrival six months before. 

That night, when they were all assembled at supper, and 
old Mrs. Brently came in and saw Ned, she hugged and 
kissed him; but when Ned introduced Mr. King to her, she 
nearly fainted, but quickly recovered, and Mr. King’s 
countenance changed suddenly, and it was’nt a minute 
before they were in each other arms. 

“My dear son, where have you been all these years? I 
had given you up for dead. 

“Oh! what a blessing that God has at last seen fit to 
cause one of mine to be returned to me to make me happy 
for the remaining days I have here on earth. 

“Now if we only had the baby. Bell, my daughter, I 
know is in heaven, and I suppose the baby is too.” 

“Hold on!” said Mr. King, “Providence does wonderful 
things sometimes, perhaps there is hope yet; I remember 
I left the child in the care of people in Richmond, Va., and 
feel sure they took good care of the child; perhaps my boy 
is living yet, we will certainly go there for I have plenty of 


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money, more than we shall ever need, as also has my young 
friend here who I would like to call my son.” 

Turning to Ned, “How would you like to take a trip to 
Richmond, the city of seven hills?” 

“Fine!” Ned replied, “for there I suppose I was born, 
but really don’t know, my foster parents never gave me to 
understand that I was born elsewhere.” 

“Oh! how glorious it would be if you would turn out to be 
my son.” 

Well to draw this story to a close; they all three, Monk 
included, after remaining in New York about a week and 
seeing the sights and then called on the Brownings, who 
were making preparations to move to the same city our 
friends were bound for; they then took the train for the 
South, Ned’s birthplace. 

When Mr. King was shown the clothes Ned had on when 
a child, he knew that Ned was his son. 

Oh! what a happy time they had. 

Mr. King bought a beautiful home on one of the hills of 
Richmond, and furnished it up in grand style. What a 
fine time they had, what sweet music, singing and dancing. 

Lilly and Mr. Browning called on them, and later, when 
Ned grew up to be a man, he and Lilly were married. 

In later years, many an evening Ned with his little ones 
could be seen around the fireside, he with his magic fiddle 
entertaining them all with his sweet music. 

Mr. and Mrs. Fox, who were so kind to Ned when a child, 
and who still loved their foster son were there to constitute 
the family circle; and in the corner could be seen Ned’s 
grandmother, now a great-grandmother, and Ned’s father, 
Mr. King, enjoying the company of each other. 


Modern Fairy Tales 


267 


“Massa Ned, I done all you tole me; does you care if I 
come into hear you play dat fiddle? I does so lub to hear it, 
it makes me feel good all ober?” 

“Yes, you can come in, you black rascal, but don’t you 
dare to dance in the house, for your missus scolds me 
every time about the dust you raise.” 

And so we leave them in their happiness. 


Rosalind 



^HERE was once a little girl who, through acci- 

T n| dent caused by carelessness, was horridly 
11 disfigured, and consequently she presented 
an ugly appearance, or, as one would say, 
awfully ugly and, sad to say, all the other little 
girls who knew her would not play with her. 
When she was a little bit of a child, her nurse, dozing, 
let her roll out of her lap on the hearth by an open fire, 
which burnt her dreadfully, and left an ugly scar on her 
face; and where the fire burnt her head on one side the 
hair would never grow out again. 

She had lots of brothers and sisters who never let her 
accompany them when going out to play with other children, 
and the only one who did not see her disfigurement and 
who loved her very dearly was her father. 

He never failed to bring her something nice when he went 
to town shopping. Poor Rosa! she had a beautiful name, but 
her face looked awful. Many a good cry she had when she 
looked at herself in the glass. “Oh! if I could only be 
beautiful, I would give anything in the world to be beauti- 
ful, so that everybody would love me,” she would say. 

One day, when she was all alone in the garden among the 
roses, lillies and violets, she kept on saying, “If I were only 
as beautiful as these flowers, which are so sweet to look 
upon.” When she happened to glance at one of the lillies 
which was larger than all the rest, and peeping into the 
flower she saw the tinest little Fairy that ever was. 

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269 


On her head was a little crown of gold, and in her hand 
she held a tiny wand with which she beckoned to Rosa to 
come nearer, she wanted to tell her something. 

Rosa stooped down when the little Fairy said: “My 
dear little girl! I heard what you said and I am going 
to give you a chance to become beautiful as you desire, but 
you must do exactly what I tell you. 

Every morning when you arise, which must be very 
early, before the sun rises, you must go down to the little 
brook behind the barn and bathe your face and hands, 
and while you bathe you must repeat to the brook these 
words: 

“Pepper and salt, sugar and spice, 

Grant me a wish, that’s good and nice.” 

“You must do this every day for twenty-five consecutive 
days, and if you do not fail once you will be told at the end 
of that time what to do next; this is all I am allowed to tell 
you, so don’t forget!” and immediately the flower closed up 
and the Fairy disappeared. 

Next morning Rosa got up bright and early, went to the 
little brook to bathe; every one was surprised to see her 
out so early, but when she did so next day and next, and so 
on for a week, her brothers and sisters had a curiosity to 
see where Rosa went every morning, so several rose before 
she did and watched her, and when they saw what she did 
and said, they burst out laughing and told her she was going 
crazy. 

But Rosa did not mind them she still kept on going to the 
brook to bathe her hands and face, and kept on saying: 
Pepper and salt, sugar and spice, grant me a wish that’s 
good and nice. 


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CHAPTER THE SECOND 

Now not very far from where Rosa lived there resided a 
young man whose parents were very rich, they had a fine 
mansion, kept a lot of servants, owned fine horses and 
carriages and an automobile. 

They really were considered the wealthiest people in that 
section of the country with their fine park and grounds. 

This young man, whose name was Alfred, was very 
handsome, well known and popular, and all the girls were 
setting their caps for him, but he did not care for any of 
them, it did not matter how pretty they were, for when 
anyone said to him, “Did you notice how Miss Belle, or 
Miss Mable looked at you?” he said, “Oh! don’t bother me 
with your pretty girls, for beauty is’nt but skin deep, the 
girl I fancy must be as good as she is fair.” 

Now Alfred happened one day to take a walk, and not 
thinking he came up to this little brook, it was morning 
and very early, and what should he see but little Rosa 
bathing her hands and face, but that did not surprise him 
so much, but when she kept on repeating, “Pepper and salt, 
sugar and spice, grant me a wish that’s good and nice,” 
he was horror struck; could it be possible that the young 
girl was demented? “No, it could not, it could not be,” 
he would wait and see what she would do. 

But Rosa, after she bathed, went hurridly back to the 
house. 

Alfred was very much puzzled, so after she was out of 
sight he came out from where he was concealed and went 
over to the place where Rosa bathed; but he could not see 
anything or anyone to whom she could have spoken. 


Modern Fairy Tales 


271 


When looking down he saw the ground suddenly open 
and a little old man step out of the hole. 

He was so small that the top of his head hardly reached 
Alfred’s knee. His face was covered with a long white 
beard that nearly touched the ground, he looked up to 
Alfred and said: “Young man! I have a message for you, 
take this silver flask, it contains a liquid, suitable only for 
the girl you saw bathing her face. 

“She has to come here twenty-five times, and in a week 
from today will make her last visit to this spot, then, and 
not until then, I desire you to be here, but concealed, and 
when you hear her repeating the words she was instructed 
to say, tender her the flask, and tell her to bathe her face 
with the liquid, but first putting a pinch of salt on her 
tongue and a grain of pepper into the flask and she will 
become beautiful, but under no circumstances must she 
look at herself in a mirror or into anything that would give 
her reflection, for the potion would then have no effect, 
the charm would be broken, and all her trouble would have 
been in vain; and, furthermore, my young friend, do not 
try to see her again until the time arrives to give her this 
flask, and after that for one year. 

“For it will take a year, a week and a day, 

For her ugliness to pass away. 

If you see her within that time, 

Her star of death would surely shine. 

So beware! take heed! lest her doom you seal; 
Thoughtlessness wounds her, but love will heal.” 

Saying which, the little old man stepped back into the 
hole in the ground which immediately closed over him. 


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and do what Alfred would he could find no place now 
where the ground was even disturbed. 

At first he thought he was bewitched, but the flask he 
held in his hand convinced him to the contrary, so he 
carefully put it in his pocket and went home, and when 
he arrived, breakfast was ready, and the whole time he was 
eating he could not help thinking of the little old man and 
the message he gave him to deliver; nevertheless, when 
he had finished his meal he went up to his room and care- 
fully secreted the flask, his mind made up to carry outjthe 
instructions. 

Next morning, forgetting the warning he had received, 
curiosity got the better of him, so he betook himself on the 
way to his hiding place to see Rosa; and when he arrived 
within about a hundred yards of the spot a tremendous 
snake uncoiled itself in his path and threatened to attack 
him, so he, not having anything to defend himself with, 
had to turn back and give up the idea of seeing Rosa that 
day. 

But the next morning he provided himself with a big 
stick, and again ventured forth on the way to the little 
brook; this time he took another route which led through 
a little body of woods, which he had barely entered, when 
from behind the trees there appeared three big powerful 
black dogs who assailed him, barking and snapping at 
him, one actually leaped on him and tore his stick away; 
and again he had no way to defend himself and concluded 
that discretion is the better part of valor, and fled home as 
fast as he could, the dogs chasing him for quite a distance 
before leaving him. 


Modern Fairy Tales 


273 


Then he bethought himself of the warning he received 
from the little old man, and abstained from visiting the 
coveted rendervous until the allotted time. 

Rosa meanwhile still continued with her morning ablu- 
tions, faithful to the instructions she received from the 
Fairy; every day she went to school, in which she excelled 
in her lessons, and every evening she would help her mother, 
and at every spare moment she would tend her little 
garden. 

She kept it in a high state of cultivation, for she dearly 
loved flowers, and had the greatest abundance and the nicest 
of any, far and near. 

It only wanted three days now to complete the twenty- 
five trips to the little brook, and she had the greatest 
curiosity to see how she would get her wish fulfilled, for 
she had but the one wish, and that was to get rid of that 
horrible scar on her face; not once did she glance in the 
mirror, for it made her sad every time she saw her face, 
knowing full well the disfigurement was there. 

After she got through with her tasks and lessons thaq. 
night, she quietly went up to her little room to retire. 

The moon was shining bright, and from her window she 
could see the beautiful clouds in the sky that looked like far 
off mountains, and the moon like a big ball of fire moving 
in and out amongst them, now and then disappearing behind 
one of them and appearing again, making the night almost 
as bright as day. 

While looking out of the window viewing the beautiful 
landscape, she suddenly heard a fluttering as of many 
wings, and now she could see a flock of wild geese soaring 
by, some so close to her window that she could almost 



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275 


touch them with her hands, when lo! and behold! one large 
bird, pure white, almost four times as large as any of the 
others, flew up and alighted on her window sill. 

In its beak it held a little card which it let fall on the sill 
and flew away. 

Rosa drew back frightened on beholding the big bird so 
close to her, but regained her presence of mind on its 
departure, and possessed herself of the card which had 
fallen on the floor, when she looked at it, she saw written 
on it these words: “Little girl put on your cloak and come 
down in your garden now,” — signed “Your Fairy Queen.” 

To receive such a message in the quiet of night after 
everyone had gone to rest, and by the queen of fairies 
took Rosa by surprise, but not thinking she would be 
missed, she hastily donned her cloak and silently tip-toed 
down stairs out into her garden. 

When she reached the far end of it there stood a beauti- 
ful lady all dressed in white with sparlking jewels all over 
her that glistened in the moonlight; she had on her head a 
beautiful crown of gold that was filled with precious gems, 
in her hand she held a wand, and when Rosa came to her 
she put her arms around her and said: “My dear child, 
I am going to make you very happy, for I have arranged 
that your wish shall be granted, but first I shall take you 
with me to give you a view of our wonderful world, for 
every mortal we befriend we let them see just once the 
reward of those who are good and true,” so she stretched 
forth her wand and four of those big birds like the one that 
left the card alighted at their feet. 

She then touched the ground with her wand, and im- 
mediately the little old man who gave Alfred the flask 


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appeared, but this time he gave the lady a large net with a 
ring in each corner. 

He slipped the rings over the birds necks, then the lady 
stepped on the net, which was lined with something very 
soft like down, and pulled Rosa alongside of her and both 
sat down, the lady waved her wand, the birds rose and 
commenced to fly, each one holding a corner of the net. 

High up into the sky they flew, Rosa, at first, was very 
much frightened, but the queen reassured her, telling her 
there was no danger whatever; and higher, still higher, 
away up above the clouds they went. 

Rosa then happened to look up, and instead of birds 
holding the net, she saw that they had changed into beauti- 
ful angels with great white wings. 

When she looked at the queen, she noticed that she had 
wings, too. 

Oh! it was so nice floating along in the air, when all at 
once, the clouds above them opened and the queen told 
Rosa to look. 

Oh! what a sight met her gaze. A beautiful city came 
into view, the streets were of gold, and the houses, which 
were all open of pure spotless white marble and furnished 
with everything that was comfortable. 

In the center of the city was a beautiful garden, with 
every kind of fruit, and lovely fountains, in which hundreds 
of angel-fairies were bathing. 

The queen now directed to be set down in the garden, 
and there described to Rosa the beautiful place they were 
in; she told Rosa if she would prove a good girl and live a 
good life in her world, and follow the teachings of the good 
book, that after she left the world for good, this would be 


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her home forever and ever; no one gets sick here, no pain or 
trouble; no work, nothing but blissful peace, content and 
happiness. 

“Why can’t I stay here now?” asked Rosa. 

“Because,” answered the Queen, “first, you must become 
beautiful and fulfill your destiny on earth, before you can 
make this your home. 

“Many years ago I was just like you, but I trusted and 
hoped and did what good I could do, finally I was called, 
and then I was brought here, and because I have done my 
best, they crowned me Queen; but only for a year, then some 
one else will take my place. 

“The Queen has the privilege to bring one mortal to see 
this place, and I selected you, to get a glimpse of this 
paradise, so now that you have seen it, I will have to carry 
you back.” She then waved her wand, and once more they 
were floating in space, and in a very little while they were 
again amongst the clouds coming down, and when Rosa 
looked again, she saw they were back in her garden, and 
the Queen told her never to forget, no matter what she was 
tempted to do, to always be sure she was right before she 
did it, and once more she raised her wand, and Rosa could 
see the four birds fly away, with the Queen standing in the 
middle of the net, and gradually they disappeared entirely. 

So she went up stairs to her little room and made up her 
mind that come what might, never once would she lose her 
temper, her aim should be to be always loving and good 
to everyone as long as she lived. 

As usual, next morning she went to the little brooklet 
to bathe, and when she returned to the house her father 
called her and told her that he was going to town, and 


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asked what he should bring her on his return, for day after 
to-morrow would be her birthday and he wanted to give 
his little girl something nice; what should it be? “A ring?’’ 

“No.” 

“Well! a bracelet?” 

“No.” 

“What about a new dress?” 

“No.” 

“Well! well! well! what is it my little Rosa would like to 
have?” 

“Papa! I want you to get me some needles and thread, a 
pair of scissors and thimble; I want to learn how to sew, 
for then I can help mamma to sew, as well as to cook.” 

“You good little darling! I don’t know what I would do 
without you, for you are the only one of all my daughters 
who truly loves her parents. All right! you shall have what 
you want.” 

The next day Rosa found in her room a beautiful sewing 
casket with everything needful, and also a nice new dress 
and hat to match. 

Next morning when she rose, she knew the day had come 
on which she would hear more in regard to her wish, so she 
hastened to the little brooklet, and again while bathing her 
hand and face repeated the same little rhyme: 

“Pepper and salt, sugar and spice, 

Grant me a wish that’s good and nice.” 

Now Alfred, who was in hiding in the bushes near by, heard 
her, so without showing himself, answered: “Speak your 
wish, it shall be granted.” 

“Oh! Fairy. I do so want to be pretty like the rest of 
the girls.” 


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Then Alfred stepped into view saying, Miss Rosa, I am 
not a Fairy, but I have what will make you beautiful, and 
gave her the flask instructing her how to use the contents. 

Rosa blushed when he spoke to her, and remarked, 
“And you are not to see me for a whole year? and I am not 
to look at myself for the same length of time? quite a task, 
the latter, I mean; and oh! I am so much obliged to you.” 

She was then about to leave, but Alfred detained her, and 
told her the worst of the task w^as his : “For don’t you know,” 
he said, “I can’t help thinking of you. 

“Let me look at your face just once, real good before we 
part; so I won’t forget it and he turned her around, and 
before she knew it he had kissed her on the scarred cheek, 
and with one bound he broke through the bushes and dis- 
appeared. 

Meanwhile Rosa went home somewhat sadly, knowing 
full well that she would have to use her best power of self 
control not to look into a mirror, and not let Alfred see her 
for one year, for that was a long time for a young girl to 
keep from looking at her face. 

Do you think you could do it? 

Nevertheless, she went home to her duties which she 
performed faithfully, for Rosa was a good girl, did not give 
her parents any trouble whatever; really, she was the most 
help her mother had. 

When night came she asked her mother for some pepper 
and salt, and before retiring she commenced using the 
liquid according to directions, dropping a grain of pepper in 
the flask and putting a pinch of salt on her tongue, then 
poured some of the liquid in the palm of her hand, bathed 
her face, and immediately went to bed. 


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She kept this up every night. 

After a week had passed, her father seeing her one day, 
remarked, “Look here little, girl! it seems to me you are 
changing in your looks; I do believe you are beginning to 
get pretty.” 

“Do you really think so, father?” 

“Go and look at yourself, and look well; but, mother! 
dont you know the child has not even a glass in her room 
to look at herself; I think I shall have to buy her a looking- 
glass, for I can’t see how a young girl can fix her hair. I 
venture to say, that her sisters don’t lack for a mirror.” 

The temptation was very great just then for Rosa to step 
into the next room and look in the mirror, but no! it would 
not do, she remembered the warning and heeded. 

She told her father not to bother about a glass, for she 
could comb her hair in the dark, and the less she saw of 
her face the better she liked it. 

It was awful hard not to look into the mirror when dusting 
the rooms, and still more so when her sisters saw the 
improvement in her face and tried every means to get her 
to look at herself ; placed hand mirrors in her hand and on 
her cabinet and washstand, even held them to her face, 
but she would shut her eyes and not look; then they taunted 
her, saying she thought herself too good looking to admire 
herself ; but Rosa persisted, nothing could make her violate 
the instructions. 

So every day she became prettier; the scar on her face 
had long since disappeared; her face became round and 
plump, her eyes large and beautiful with large lashes, 
and changed from a light gray to a deep blue, her hair be- 
came long and wavy, and her skin became very fair, all the 


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freckles had left, and with lovely red lips and dimples in 
her cheeks. 

Any one having seen her six months before would not 
have known her. 

Her sisters and brothers now and then noticed how much 
she had improved, but they did not bother her now, as 
she never went out, consequently they did not annoy her. 

About this time, as the winter had set in, all the young 
people in the country were having social gatherings in the 
form of parties, and to the surprise of Rosa she began to 
recieve invitations to quite a number of them, but she was 
really afraid to go, for fear Alfred might see her before the 
year was up, she knew full well that he now would not 
recognize her, but she feared some one would tell him who 
she was. 

She had no way to disguise herself, and the girls would 
begin to envy her ; she inferred from being told that she 
was becoming more beautiful than they were. 

Oh! the temptation was certainly great to look at herself 
just once ) but no! no! no! so with many a heart pang she re- 
mained at home? 

Now it was rumored that there was going to be a big 
party at Alfred’s house, and she did so want to go and see 
his home, and him only once, without his knowing who she 
was. 

One night, after she had bathed her face with some of 
the contents of the flask which, strange to say, always 
seemed to remain nearly full no matter how much she used; 
she addressed the flask: “You wonderful elixer, you must 
indeed be making me beautiful,” she said, and uncon- 
sciously she rubbed the flask, when immediately the room 


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was filled with a fog or vapor; and when it cleared away 
there stood the little old man with the long white beard. 

“What do you want, fair maiden?” he said. 

“Oh! oh!” said Rosa; “I did not summon you.” 

“Did you not rub the flask?’* he demanded* “did you not 
know that by rubbing the flask I would appear? and while 
I am here, state your desire; I know that you want to go 
to Alfred’s party, and you don’t know how to accomplish 
it without ruining everything. You are in a dilemma, and 
want to know how you can disguise yourself so that you 
will not be known; is it not so? I can help you; so command! 
and I will obey!” 

“Yes,” said Rosa, “I would like to go to the party and 
be known only as a stranger, and under no circumstances 
do I want to be recognized by a certain young man.” 

“Alfred, you mean,” said the little old man. “I know 
exactly what you want to do, and I will tell you how you 
may go and enjoy yourself at the party, be known, and yet 
be thought to be at home. 

“Now sit down and write a letter to your young friend, 
tell him how sorry you are not to be able to come to his 
entertainment, but that he is not to see you until the ex- 
piration of the year; and to treat kindly the messenger 
you send, the same as if it had been yourself. 

“After all your sisters and brothers have gone to the 
party, wait a little while, until you are sure they are on their 
way, then don these clothes;” and here he gave her a bundle; 
“and steal out unbeknown to anyone; carry him the letter, 
and tell him you are a stranger to him, and came only to 
deliver him the message. 


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“If he asks your name, tell him you are a stranger to him, 
and came only to deliver him the message. If he persists on 
your name, tell him Rosalind; for that is the name you must 
bear when introduced to the company. 

“Now have a good time, for your own sisters will not 
know you, dressed in those clothes, but be careful not to 
look into the mirrors that adorn the walls, for then the 
charm would be broken, you would be changed instantly, 
every one would know you, and your good looks would be 
gone never more to return !” with the last words the room 
filled again with a mist and the little old man was gone. 

CHAPTER THE THIRD. 

Rosa undid the bundle and was amazed to see a lovely suit 
of clothes, all pure white, with a shiny necklace of pearls to 
match. 

Oh! wont I look nice, she thought, and won’t every one 
stare when they see my fine clothes, and won’t Alfred be 
surprised; but I am afraid he will forget all about his Rosa, 
when he sees Rosalind; but then I don’t want him to know 
me, and I am so glad now that I can go to the party and 
have a good time. 

When she tried on the clothes, they fitted beautifully, 
and again the desire came to her to view herself in a mirror, 
and again she bethought herself of the warning and aban- 
doned the idea. 

The next evening her sisters and brothers tokTher to be 
sure and get ready and go with them, but she shook her head 
and told them to go on and leave her at home. 

“I do think it really disgraceful,” one of her sisters re- 
marked, “that Rosa should be so stubborn as not to accept 


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the invitation and go. Sometime ago, when she was ugly, 
and failed to get invitations and all of us did, she cried 
wdth mortification; and now, when she is getting so good- 
looking, she turns her nose up when anyone wants her to 
go with them. 

“But never mind, if she stays at home we will have a 
better chance to catch a beaux ourselves.” 

So at last all of them left her and started on their way to 
the frolic, and as soon as all were gone Rosa went up to her 
room and dressed herself very carefully, and over all she 
put on a long cloak, and then silently stole out of the rear 
of the house and pursued a different route from that the 
others had taken; first making sure she had the letter, 
so that as a messenger from herself, she could gain admit- 
tance to the big fete. 

Now when she came in view of the fine mansion, Alfred’s 
home, and heard the music, her heart gave a great throb, 
for this really was her first attendance at a large gathering; 
she was almost frightened for fear that she might not con- 
duct herself properly in such a large company. 

It puzzled her to know what she must say after she got 
inside, but a little voice told her not to be embarrassed, 
but just go ahead and do and say as her heart dictated. 

She first took a good look and waited her opportunity. 

After all the others had gone in she tripped lightly up 
the stone steps, and told one of the ushers that she had a 
message for Mr. Alfred, but would only deliver it into his 
hands personally, so the usher asked her into the waiting 
room to be seated. 

It was not very long before Alfred came himself; he po- 
litely bowed and asked whom he had the honor to address? 


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She replied “that her name was Rosalind, and that she 
brought a letter from a friend of his,” with that she gave 
him the letter, but his eyes did not leave her face; he stood 
as one entranced. 

“I beg your pardon!” said he, “any messenger from 
Rosa is welcome here; let me help you to remove your 
cloak and hat; you must by all means stay to the party. 
You are the very one I shall choose to open the entertain- 
ment; you must not say no, for I would be awfully disap- 
pointed.” 

Rosa felt at first a little embarrassed in such strange 
surroundings and a little afraid he would recognize her, 
but after he spoke to her she felt confident that he never 
would think she was the ugly girl he kissed at the brook; 
so she consented to stay a while, but said that if she left 
suddenly he should not be uneasy, as she would be on her 
way home. 

Such a sensation there was, when they walked in amongst 
the guests; every one gazed at her, and she heard remarks, 
such as “Is’nt she lovely!” I wonder who she is? and where 
does she live?“ The boys, particularly, they all crowded 
around her to be introduced, but Alfred told them to just 
wait, he would give them a chance to become acquainted 
later on, as the young lady was as yet almost a stranger to 
him, and it would only be courtesy to give her time to 
become accustomed to the scene. 

Rosa had a fine time playing games and enjoying the 
splendid feast prepared for them. 

When midnight drew near, she bethought herself that 
now was her time to hasten back before the others, so, 
excusing herself, unperceived, she stole quietly out of the 


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room to find her hat and cloak, and before anyone was 
aware of it she was in the path on her way home. 

When she was passing the little brooklet, who should 
be standing there but the little old man, who clapped his 
hands and told her he hoped she had had a good time, but 
to be sure and bundle up the clothes and place them on the 
outside of her window sill, from whence he could get them 
and keep them for her future use, as everyone would be 
looking for Rosalind to-morrow, and if they found them 
in her room she would stand convicted. 

Rosa promised him she would do as he requested, and 
so she did as soon as she arrived at home. 

Next day there was no other talk but Rosalind, “how 
pretty she was,” “what lovely clothes she wore,” and 
“the beautiful Pearl necklace, which was worth a fortune 
itself,” and that all at once she was gone, no one knew 
where she went, and where she came from, everybody was 
inquiring about her. 

Rosa laughed when they told her, if they only knew, 
she thought* but that was her secret, and she was enjoying 
it to her heart’s content. 

The mysterious Rosalind caused such a sensation that 
all those who had failed to see her, and had heard about her 
wondrous beauty, had their curiosity aroused to such an 
extent that everyone was ready to give a big party, spe- 
cially to invite her. 

But where was she? Where did she reside? 

Everyone enquired her whereabouts; no one had ever 
seen her before; all they knew was that her name was 
Rosalind; that’s all. 


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The young men, when they visited their sweethearts, 
the first question after the usual formalities was, have you 
found out where Miss Rosalind lives? until the girls were 
really vexed; it looked as if every one had gone crazy about 
Rosalind, and, to cap the climax, the editor of the county 
newspaper was so taken with the Rosalind fever that he 
inserted an editorial which read like this: 

“Be it known, both near and far, that on a certain night, 
at a certain gathering of young folks, a most beautiful and 
fair young maiden made her appearance and captivated 
not only the Prince but all his followers, and as she ap- 
peared suddenly, so suddenly she disappeared. 

“Wherefore, be it understood! if these lines aforesaid! 
should meet the eyes of anyone knowing her whereabouts! 
most gratefully would such tidings be received by the 
numerous friends she made that eve” — The editor. 

Of course Rosa read this, and it pleased her very much 
to find that she was thought to be so pretty, for remember 
she had not looked at her features for nearly a year, and 
when she last saw how she looked, she remembered she 
was quite ugly with a big scar on her face. 

She had gotten quite used to not seeing herself in a glass, 
and not being able to see her beauty, she was not vain or 
conceited, and that made her disposition lovely, which 
enhanced her beauty, for as the old saying will remind you, 
“beauty is that beauty does.” 

About a month after she went to the party, there was a 
revival going on in the big Methodist church not far from 
where Rosa lived. 

Everybody that could go attended the big meetings, and, 
of course, her brothers and sisters and really the whole 


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family went every night, even Rosa had been once or twice, 
and sat with the family. 

Influenced by the editorial, she thought she would attend 
one night in disguise, so directly after she finished her 
evening repast she went up stairs to her room, and after 
locking her door and opening her window, she took her 
flask and began rubbing it, and there on the window sill 
sat the little old man. 

“What is it you want now?” he questioned her. 

“I would dearly love to go to the revival tonight and 
not be known as Rosa, can you bring me suitable 
clothes?’, 

“I have them here, for I knew what you wanted’ it is not 
every girl that would lose the chance to be admired, but 
you must be careful and not let them see you leave your 
home or return to it when you wear them, and you had 
better take the flask with you so that if you should need 
me you can rub it and I will attend you;” saying which, he 
he leaped off the window sill and was gone. 

“Rosa, are you going with us to-night?” called her mother. 

“No! I am not ready yet, you go on ahead I may be 
there later.” 

So she began to dress, this time she had entirely different 
clothes, instead of white she was dressed in black velvet 
that fitted her to perfection, a beautiful hat with a big 
plume of ostrich feathers and a lovely set of furs. 

After she was dressed she unlocked her door and peeped 
down stairs, and as everything was quiet she relocked her 
door and silently betook herself to the church. 

When she arrived the meeting was in full swing, all were 
singing. 


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289 


After entering she walked up the aisle and took a seat 
well up in front near the side doors, so that if she wanted 
to leave hurriedly no one could well stop her. 

No sooner was she seated than several tendered her 
hymn books, one of which she accepted, and when she 
glanced from the minister, she saw all eyes turned towards 
her, evidently she was creating another sensation. 

As she was recognized by some who whispered to others : 
“There’s Rosalind! do you see her?” 

“Where?” 

“Over there in front!” 

“My! ain’t she pretty!” and the strangest part of it was 
that the seat she selected was that part of the church 
sometimes called the Amen corner, mostly frequented by 
real old men and women who could not see or hear very 
well, the seats very seldom were filled. 

Tonight there were a good many vacant, but it was not 
ten minutes before all the seats were taken, and the new- 
comers could not keep their eyes off her, and no doubt 
they would have spoken to her, but during service that 
would not have been proper, so all they could do was, on 
every opportunity to look at her, even the preacher 
happened to glance her way, and observed her and was 
facinated. 

Now Rosa, like any other girl, liked to be admired, but 
so many eyes continually fixed on her began to worry her, 
so she concluded that as soon as the sermon was over she 
would take her leave, but fate willed it otherwise, for at the 
close of the sermon, after giving out a hymn of invitation, 
the preacher deliberately walked over to her to extend her 
an invitation in behalf of the church, introducing himself, 


-r. 



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and asking the favor of her name, telling her how pleased 
they would be to have her as a co-worker in the army of 
the Lord. 

Rosa told him he could call her Rosalind, and that her 
heart was in full sympathy with the good work, and that 
in the near future she would become one of his flock. 

“Why not now?” said he, and went on quoting scripture, 
to show that she ought not to put it off, as delay was 
dangerous; now was the accepted time, and so forth. 

But Rosa thought, not now, the time was not ripe yet, 
she knew when she would be ready to unite herself to a 
church, for at present she was still under the religious 
control of her parents. 

When he left her, she rose and was going out of one of the 
side doors, when who should be in her way but Alfred, who 
begged her to let him see her home; or if not home part of 
the way at least. 

She told him “no!” but he persisted so, that she con- 
cluded to let him accompany her a little way, planning 
all the time how she could get home unobserved and in 
her room before the others got there. 

So she led him along the path that passed the little 
brooklet, and he put every manner of questions to her, 
where she lived, and who her father was, but she evaded 
them by asking him when he heard from Rosa, and if he 
ever thought about her? 

Oh yes! he always thought of her, he only trusted that 
the charm she was trying would prove successful, and 
she would turn out to be as fair as Rosalind. 

“Suppose she failed, would it change your regard for her?” 
she asked, and he told her that it would not. 


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“I see you are good and true to your lady love, so I will 
leave you, all I can tell you as a messenger from her, is that 
she is the same Rosa you saw nearly a year ago; and when 
your birthday fete comes off she will be there to claim you 
as her own; but beware that fickly fancy does not betray 
you.” While talking, she put her hand in her bosom and 
began rubbing the flask, when a large tree toppled over in 
their path, dividing them, and Rosa in stepping backwards 
sunk down into the ground, and lo! and behold! the little 
old man caught her hand to keep her from falling, led her 
into a subteranian passage, and before she realized it she 
was standing in her garden at home. 

“Hurry now! fair maiden! to your room and change your 
garments, for I shall have to carry back the clothes I brought 
you, and remember when next you summon me your year 
will have expired, and after then you will need me no more.” 

Rosa hastily did as he told her, and none too soon, as 
quite a crowd of people were coming to the house, and for 
what she could not conjecture. 

She had no sooner changed her clothes and put those 
she had worn to the church, on the outside of the window 
sill, than there was heard a knock at her door, and her 
mother called to her: “Rosa, dear! are you up?” 

“Yes! mother, what do you want?” 

“Nothing child, but there are a lot of people down stairs 
who want to know if you are at home; and I had to see 
first, before I could answer them.” 

“What do they want, mother? Do they want to see me? 
if so, I can go down and let them look at me.” 

So she hastily unlocked her door and went down with 
her mother, and would you believe it, there were over 


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293 


fifty persons down stairs and all were looking for Rosa- 
lind. 

When Rosa met them and spoke to them, they looked 
very foolish; some asked her for curiosity’s sake whether 
she ever saw Rosalind, and, of course, Rosa told them she 
had seen her nearly a year ago. 

“What did she look like?” 

“Oh! when she saw her she was quite an ugly girl, with a 
face full of freckles, and whom hardly anyone noticed.” 

“That could not have been the one we saw, for our 
Rosalind is pretty as a picture; never had there been one 
seen to compete with her in looks.” 

“Quite interesting no doubt,” said Rosa, “I would 
certainly like to see her myself; the one I saw was as ugly 
as myself, and by no means handsome enough for such a 
crowd to be clamoring to see. 

“Though, as you called me down, I will tell you all when 
you will be able to see her again, not once, but at any time 
you call on her.” 

“How do you know? and when will it be?” 

“It will be on Christmas Eve at the home of the young 
man known to you all as Alfred.” 

“He is coming now, for we hear his voice outside,” 
several replied. 

“He was with Rosalind when she disappeared, we all 
thought she was crushed under a tree which toppled over, 
and we have been looking in every direction for her but 
don’t know what became of her; it was the same as if the 
earth had swallowed her up, no trace of her have we been 
able to find.” 


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“Well rest assured what I told you will happen, for my 
good fairy told me that;” said Rosa, “but you must excuse 
me now, mother can talk to you now.” 

And Rosa went back up stairs, for she did not want 
Alfred to see her until the allotted time. 

Christmas was now drawing nigh, and every one was 
preparing to celebrate that great event. 

We all may be thankful we are living in a Christian 
country, where the birth of our Savior is never forgotten. 

One day before Christmas, Rosa had gone out walking 
with some of her girl friends; a fine carriage was seen coming 
to her home, it stopped, a young man and an elderly gentle- 
man alighted, and enquired for Rosa’s parents. 

The young man introduced himself as Alfred and the 
other gentleman as his father, and after being made welcome, 
Alfred’s father made himself the spokesman, and told them 
he came in behalf of his son, who would not give him any 
peace until he promised him he would speak to them in 
regard to their daughter. 

“My son here says that there is not anyone in the world 
that he could care for more than your daughter, and that 
no matter how much he wanted to see her, fate ahvays 
willed that he should not, no matter how he had tried, 
he had not been able so much as to get a glimpse of her; 
now, I don’t know what it can be, infatuation, love or a 
foolish whim, but I came to ask you to allow the young 
folks to meet. 

“We are going to have a big fete Christmas Eve, Alfred’s 
birthday, and all the young people we know are going to be 
invited, and we do not want to miss one of your family 


Modern Fairy Tales 


295 


under any circumstances, no not one, and we want you to 
see that they all be present.” 

“We are sure you are doing us a great honor,” said Rosa’s 
father, “heretofore, I think we always availed ourselves of 
your kind invitations to be all present.” 

“All except Rosa,” interrupted Alfred. 

“That’s so,” continued Rosa’s father, “we could not get 
her to go; I think her excuse was, as they say in slang, she 
was’nt going to be the only ugly one in the bunch, but I 
shall make it my duty this time to see that she attends. 

“I am sure we have no objection to your son’s calling on 
her, if she is willing, for I feel confident I can trust my 
daughter with anyone with whom she keeps company, 
and no doubt you place the same confidence in your son.” 

“Yes, I can trust Alfred always to be honorable and 
follow the teachings of his father.” 

So after conversing awhile they took their leave. 

As soon as Rosa came home her parents told her who had 
been there, and she was really glad she happened to be 
away, for she was not to let Alfred see her yet. 

Now understand Rosa’s parents were not rich people by 
any means. 

Her father was a thrifty farmer, but with a large family 
to support; it took all he made to have things comfortable 
at home and all nicely dressed. 

When it came to any extra expense in dress for particular 
occasions, sometimes they had to study a great deal of 
economy to fit them out, so when Rosa told them not to 
worry on her account her good fairy would send her all the 
clothes she needed they did not know what to make of it. 


296 


Modern Fairy Tales 


But Rosa had a plan of her own which she put in effect 
the following night. 

After all had retired she rubbed her flask, after bathing 
her face with the liquid, and the little old man appeared. 

“What now, my young lady?” he asked. 

And Rosa spoke: “My dear friend, as this is the last time 
I can summon you, I wish you to have sent to me a trunk 
full of clothes, and whatever is needful, and as you have 
made me the Lady beautiful, let me also be the Lady 
bountiful.” 

“It shall be as you say,” he answered, “but as your flask 
is empty restore it to me, so that the Queen Fairy can make 
some one else happy and beautiful; use well what is sent 
to you, and you will never want, for what you give away in a 
good deed, will pay you back a hundred fold, for you had: 

“Pepper and salt, and sugar and spice, 

May your wish come true, be it ever so nice.” 

With that he leaped out of the window, and Rosa saw him 
no more. 

The next day a tremendous big trunk was delivered by 
the expressman, billed to Rosa, from a person unknown, and 
when she opened it she found it full of beautiful clothes 
and the wonderful necklace, a fine gold watch, rings and 
bracelets. 

In the bottom of the trunk was a casket filled with 
precious jewels and gold, each jewel being worth a small 
fortune. 

To say that Rosa was entranced, was not the expression 
for it, and as for her parents, when they saw the great 
fortune in Rosa's possession, it would be impossible for me 


Modern Fairy Tales 


297 


to tell you of their feelings, when Rosa took out a handful 
of gold and gave it to her father to buy dresses and things 
needful for the others, he said, “It seems your good fairy 
was not a myth after all; this is surely pure gold, but not as 
precious as my Rosa.” 

The night of the fete came, Rosa was all dressed when 
an automobile came to the door, sent by Alfred for her. 

When Rosa entered the sitting room, and the light shone 
on her face, every one exclaimed, “Rosalind!” Surely this 
is not our Rosa!” 

“Yes! I am Rosa, but in future, Rosalind; for that is 
the name I must be called by in future, by the will of the 
donor of the gift of beauty; for if I am pretty I can’t help it 
now any more than I could help being ugly in the past.” 

And she was right, for beauty comes from within. 

Come now, as we are all ready, let’s get into the auto, 
and away to the fete. 

This time when she arrived there were hundreds to meet 
her. 

“Rosalind! Rosalind! hurrah! for Rosalind! and when 
Rosa and Alfred stood under the mistletoe, which hung 
high above their heads, a mist enveloped them, which 
presently rose, and in the midst of it could be seen a vision 
of a beautiful lady with wings, pointing a wand at them; 
then the air was filled with pepper, which caused all in the 
room to sneeze; then came a shower of salt, which covered 
the floor and resembled snow; then the windows opened 
of their own accord, and everyone was surprised again to 
see thrown into the room, sugar in every conceivable form, 
and when the shower ended everyone inhaled the smell of 


298 


Modern Fairy Tales 


sweet spices, after which from above was let down by 
cords an immense mirror, in which Rosa saw herself for the 
first time as Rosalind; the most wonderful, the fairest of 
maidens, meeting the enraptured gaze of her beloved 
Alfred. 

It is unnecessary to tell you that they lived happily 
afterwards, as in all good fairy stories, so ends this tale and 
book. 


THE END 





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